The castor bean plant, commonly known as the Ricinus communis, is a poisonous plant. The castor bean plant contains ricin, a toxin that stops the production of proteins. An individual who ingests a single seed of the castor bean plant can potentially die of ricin poisoning. A lethal dose for a dog is typically 0.1 mcg/kg of body weight, but the lethal dose can be much lower in some individual cats. The castor bean plant can also cause vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and severe dehydration. If your pet comes into contact with the castor bean plant, please seek veterinary care immediately.
What is Castor bean plant?
Castor bean plant (Ricinus communis) is a fast-growing (to 4 m) herbaceous annual plant that has many common names including castor bean, castor oil plant, elephant-foot castor bean, Ricin or Ricinus communis. It is native to North America and Europe, and is also cultivated globally. Its Latin name, Ricinus communis, is derived from Ricon, the Latinized form of the Greek god name, Zeus. Castor bean is also known by many other common names including false castor, common castor, Ricinus communis, castor oil plant, and elephant-foot castor bean. When the castor plant is mature, the fruits, known as beans, are removed from the pods,