I always thought the “mole bean” was a fairly common plant and “they’re supposed to” keep moles away from your garden. It’s not uncommon as a volunteer plant in the southeast. I was describing it to a co-worker and we came up with an ID of castor bean and warnings about ricin! Correct? 
Judging from the Google results I get when I search for “mole beans”, they are the same plant.
Supposedly castor bean plants (Ricinus communis) repel moles. Another plant that reputedly does this (and has been called “mole plant”) is Euphorbia lathyris.