# Are "mole beans" and castor beans the same plant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2015, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-mole-beans-and-castor-beans-the-same-plant/722059 "2015-06-09T12:42:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-mole-beans-and-castor-beans-the-same-plant/722059/1 "2015-06-09T12:42:01Z")
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? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-mole-beans-and-castor-beans-the-same-plant/722059/2 "2015-06-09T12:56:58Z")
Judging from the Google results I get when I search for “mole beans”, they are the same plant. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2015, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-mole-beans-and-castor-beans-the-same-plant/722059/3 "2015-06-09T14:02:36Z")
Supposedly castor bean plants (Ricinus communis) repel moles. Another plant that reputedly does this (and has been called “mole plant”) is [Euphorbia lathyris](https://www.victoriananursery.co.uk/Mole_Plant/).