The castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, is a plant species of the Euphorbiaceae and the sole member of the genus Ricinus and of the subtribe Ricininae. Its seed is the castor bean which, despite its name, is not a true bean.

The toxicity of raw castor beans is well-known, and reports of actual poisoning are relatively rare. Children could conceivably die from as few as three beans; adults may require eight or more. As an example of the rarity of castor bean poisoning, in recent years there have only been two cases reported in all of England, and in both the victims recovered uneventfully.[

 It is a fast-growing, suckering perennial shrub which can reach the size of a small tree (around 12 m), but it is not hardy. The huge leaves are palmate, with 5-11 deeply incised lobes. They are glossy purplish or reddish-green and 12-30 in (30-76 cm) across, with long petioles (leaf stems). The stems are watery juicy and reddish or purplish too. The small inflorescence is not particularly showy.

Full sun is best.

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