castorbean flowers
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_november_december_2018/killer_seeds_and_the_sting_is_the_thing/193488/NGX1118.640_0_1.png)
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_november_december_2018/killer_seeds_and_the_sting_is_the_thing/193486/castor_bean_plant_poison.256_0_1.png)
KillerSeeds
Pinkflowersgrowalongthebanksofariver.Awindblows.Seedsfalltotheground.Theyarecastorbean seeds.
Ahungrybirdwalksby.Theseedsshineinthesunlight.Butthebirdwillnoteattheseseeds.Itknowstheycan kill.
![](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_november_december_2018/killer_seeds_and_the_sting_is_the_thing/193479/castor_beans_circle.640_0_1.jpg)
![Gulp!](/nationalgeographic/pioneer_november_december_2018/killer_seeds_and_the_sting_is_the_thing/193480/castor_beans.640_0_1.png)
Castorbeansare poisonous.
CastorbeanplantscamefromAfrica.Nowtheyaregrowningardensaroundtheworld.Theplantisbeautiful.But,itis dangerous.
Theseedscontainadeadlypoison.Ahandfulofseedscankillaperson.Theplantneedsthispoison.Itprotectstheseedsfrombeingeatenby animals.