The reddish leaves of the castor bean plant sometimes (not as often as when my neighbor let one grow 8 feet tall) sprout in my yard, from which they are promptly removed.  It does have a number of commercial and medicinal uses.

The castor bean is a fast growing plant which may reach a height of 15 feet in one year.

The female flowers at the top, have no petals, the red is the stigma which collects pollen.  The white flowers below are the male flowers, producing pollen.

These spiky balls are the fruit.  When mature they split, releasing the "beans".

These are the seeds, "beans", showing the elaborate patterns which made them popular, though dangerous, hippy beads.

   [Classification, Taxonomy]

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