Side by side
Compare plates
Lay two specimens on the bench — uses, risks, and whether either has a grow lab.
OpenDeadly
Castor bean
Ricinus communis
A tropical star-leaf with beautiful poisonous seeds — oil is a laxative, the mash is a biotoxin.
Flavor
Do not chew the seeds. Castor oil is oily, bland, and notoriously unpleasant as a purge.
In favor
Teaches the difference between a pressed oil and a seed toxin
Days to harvest
Ornamental foliage in 40–60 days; seed is not a home crop
Choose a specimen