Castor Plant

The castor plant, or ricin (Ricinus communis), probably originated somewhere in East Africa near Ethiopia and is indigenous to a large area of tropical climates from the southern Mediterranean to India. It is a monotypic genus, meaning that there are no other closely related plants.

It is both a powerful medicine and deadly poison. The castor plant is cultivated for its oil producing seeds. Castor oil, extracted from the seeds and processed, is used as a laxative and a base for cosmetics. The leaves and roots can be used for skin and stomach ailments.

The castor plant became naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands in the early 1800s. It is a common weed that grows along the roadside and where the ground has been disturbed. If given the chance, it can grow to be a small tree.

The castor plant does not aggressively invade native habitats. It will establish where soil has been disturbed by things like construction or wild pigs. The main threat that the castor plant poses is that its seeds are poisonous to humans and livestock. The raw seeds contain a deadly poison that makes it one of the two most toxic plants in the world.