The seven men arrested in Britain over the weekend were allegedly manufacturing Ricin, a poison made from the berries of a common ornamental plant. NPR's Ketzel Levine looks at the plant itself.

Ketzel's 'Carmencita.' Photo: Ketzel Levine

Ricinus communis in the wild. Photo: John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy

The spiky seed pods of the castor bean. Photo: © Br. Alfred Brousseau, Saint Mary's College

January 9, 2003 -- Its leaves are like a Hawaiian breeze, its flowers wave like plumes and its sputnik-like spikey seed pods come in colors that pulse and glow. Only one problem and it's a real whopper: One ingested seed of Ricinus communis can kill a 10-pound dog. Of course you could say the same for the berries of Daphne mezereum (February daphne) and Hedera helix (common ivy), though admittedly, I can't verify just what constitutes a lethal dose. But what separates the castor bean from all other poisonous plants is that it's news.

The fact is, cultivated varieties of Ricinis, prancing around in names like 'Carmencita' and 'Zanzibarensis', have been gracing gardens with their lusty foliage and tarty flowers for quite a while. While it is entirely true that the seeds are unspeakably noxious (and the straight species an invasive weed), the only noise they've made until now is the cha-cha-cha they bring to the garden. I saw my first 'Carmencita Pink' doing her thing at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa. I saw her again in a planter outside The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. only a few months ago. Naughty she may be, but responsible gardeners love her. The key is to cut her back before she sets seed.

The use of castor bean for its deadly poisonous properties is a worrisome turn of events for plant lovers who have recently seen other decorative plants villified, particularly Papaver somnifera, the breadseed or opium poppy. Never mind that most poppy flower lovers wouldn't have a clue what to do with a pod and a razor blade, the fact is that those who do know might be tempted to use it as a drug. Quite a labor-intensive way to go.

Related Coverage

Ricin
Police in London have arrested six men of North African origin after finding traces of the deadly poison, ricin, at a North London address. As NPR's Richard Harris reports, ricin is lethal, relatively easy to manufacture, and is on the list of potential bioweapons that terrorists might employ.

Oh No! Not My Wisteria!
If you're interested in learning more about invasive plants, Ketzel Levine talks about invasive exotic plants, many of which are still sold in nurseries and coveted by unsuspecting gardeners.

Other Resources

Ricinus communis (Castor bean)
Read about the castor bean plant, Ricinus communis, and the poison which can be derived from its seeds.

Poisonous Plants
An alphabetical listing of poisonous plants brought to you by the venerable Canadian Biodiversity Information Facility.