Poisonous Plants

Agronomy 105's Weed ID
Castorbean
Castorbean is a perennial that was originally introduced into the country to be used as an ornamental species.  It is commonly seen across the United States in gardens and may grow to heights of 10 to 12 feet.  There are cultivated varieties of Castorbean which are grown for their oil.  Castor oil, that is extracted from the plant's seed, is used primarily as an industrial lubricant.  About 1% of the castor oil produced in this country is used for medicinal purposes.  This number was much higher in the past.
	The large, heavy stems of Castorbean plants are smooth and have a general reddish color.  Leaves of this plant are pointed and glossy.  The hard seeds are borne in pods with several seeds developing in each pod.
These seeds are said to look like engorged beetles.  Castorbean is not a legume, but rather a member of a completely different plant family.  The entire plant is poisonous but it is the seed that usually causes the most problems.  Eating just one seed can cause nausea in humans.  The symptoms of poisoning are nausea, intestinal disorders and if enough seeds are eaten, cardio-vascular problems can occur.