Castor

Castor is a fast-growing, soft-wooded shrub or small tree of the spurge family with large, palm-shaped, deeply lobed leaves, often reddish stems and spiny capsules holding mottled seeds. Native to northeast Africa, it is widely grown in India, including Kerala, both as a crop and along field edges.

The root, leaves and seed oil are used. Ayurveda calls it Eranda, and castor oil is traditionally used for digestive wellness, in oil massage and hair care, while the root is part of classical joint care formulations. The raw seeds contain ricin and are poisonous, so only the processed oil is used.