• Castor Bean

    The castor bean plant is also known as the castor oil plant, mole bean or wonder tree.  Occurs naturally in the South, Southwest, and California.  May be wild or cultivated for castor oil.  Plants can stand 3-14 ft tall and have large leaves.  The beans are used as decorative beads also.  The toxin is present in all parts of the plant but concentrated in the beans.  The bean is highly toxic and a single bean can kill a dog.  Clinical signs may take up to 24 hrs to appear, intial signs vomiting, bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness and ataxia.  Prognosis is good with prompt decontamination; guarded once signs develop.