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I just know that the beans are really toxic, and when my folks had some plants in their yard, we removed them all when my kids came along. It would scare me to plant a plant that I knew could cause harm to someone, if there are other plant choices that you could use. The plants are attractive, but if there is any chance that a puppy or child could get a hold of any of the beans, I think it would be too big a risk. Surely there is a less toxic plant that would do the job and still offend the moles and voles???

I don't know anything about Castor beans but I found this link that was very informative. It looks like they would make a beautiful border and I like the fact that the moles don't like them. Now the downside is about the animals and children being around them. I am always cautious of poisonous plantings.
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I've seen it used for landscaping in Ohio. I can't imagine that it's even as noxious as poison ivy, unless you somehow ingest large quantities of it. I would clean up the beans, rather than letting them fall to the ground. Otherwise, it has medicinal value beyond the use as a laxative, for example, a compress of hot castor oil used to be used for local infections back in the olden days.

Castor beans can be very invasive. Both Florida and California have them listed on their invasive plant list and recommend not planting them. You might not have a problem where you live but since they are both invasive and poisonous, I think you might look for an alternative.

My mom grew that and it vined at the end of the back porch making shade in teh heat of the day. with six kids, none of us ever tried eating the beans. Guess she kept us well fed.

I saw a vine in Okla once that I loved, found the seeds and planted it in Ohio. It vined like 15 ft up the corner of house. Beautiful purple, fragrant flowers. It is called Hyacinth vine. Here is info and pic:
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This vine was grown by Thomas Jefferson who was a great botanist!

We tried growing them this past summer and they never did really make. Didn't die but didn't develop into nice healthy plants either.

I did grow castor plants one summer in a moist area. They grew 8 to 10 feet tall, but they weren't thick enough to totally block the view; they merely obscured it. It is a tropical perennial, and will not take frost. In most areas of the U..S. it is planted as a warm-season annual. Therefore, a castor bean privacy fence would only hide the commercial site for 3 to 4 months maximum. Remember it takes some time for them to grow to size, and frost will cause them to drop their leaves.

Tall perennial means any plant over 4 feet. Which is why most people plant hedges when they want privacy. Still this link view link shows a picture of a really tall grass. Not all grasses need to be cut back, and those that do will often regrow to maximum height fairly quickly. Most grasses can be left alone during winter even though their growth is dormant, then the old growth is cut back in early spring.

Tall fencing would be the most effective at blocking the view, but can be expensive. Vines are a good substitute, but you would need an evergreen perennial vine, and you would still need to provide fencing or trellis on which it could grow. Most wire fencing available at hardware and home stores is only 4 foot tall. If you can locate taller fencing, you would still need 10-foot posts set (at least 2 feet deep) in the ground for support, and no more than 10 feet apart.

Thank you for your comments.

I plan to use a combination of caster bean plants and grasses. The dicidious weed-trees and poison ivy that I will replace are growing in a drainage ditch. The trees are forming dams to reroute the flash flood waters from all uphill heighbors to the fondation of our house. This is my sister's property, but I moved in recently and am trying to reclaim the yard and eliminated the water damage opportunities.

I plan to plant on the edge of the ditch, not in it!

The dogs have a new fence. The deer, turkeys, possum, raccoons, etc will do what they want but the moles and voles have to go. The neighborhood is 100% over age 50, lol! They are all hanging on for the rezoning to commercial that is in the planning stages. No dummies in this neighborhood!

I have not found any more positive humane ways to discouraging moles and voles than Castor bean plantings. I am not ready to kill them and think poison peanuts etc re more dangerous than Castor bean plants. My sister is living in the past when she looked great in shorts and the drywall guys wolf whistled.at her when she worked in the yard. She is now a plump cross country truck driver who is on the road 14 days, then home for 3. The commercial building looks like a well kept home with an extra large garage. If my sister sees a tall border, I think she will be happy. I might add holly hocks and dahlias to the border too. (The dahlias I planted last year grew to 6 ft with support!)

We live in Missouri. I am already fighting honeysuckle, lilies of the valley, and creeping charlie, so fighting invasive plantings is a way of life. Annuals don't scare me, but Bamboo just might!

Otter - I can't wait to see how it all turns out!