Common Name(s)	Castor Oil Plant
Latin Name	Ricinus Communis
Description	This is usually grown as a house plant but some varieties are grown outdoors in some areas. It has large deeply lobed mid-green leaves, but some are reddish brown. The flower stems at the top of the plant are green or sometimes pink or red. The mottled seeds are distinctive features of this plant, although not all that common in Britain.
Hazards	The seeds (castor beans) are poisonous. Even one has proved fatal.
Effects	Stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration. If handled swelling and soreness of the skin can occur.
Flowering Period	Summer for garden varieties. House plants rarely flower.
Location	Gardens as focal points in formal flower beds. House plants indoors.