Precatory Bean Abrus precatorius
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- AH-broos prek-ah-TOR-ee-us
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Seeds which are extremely poisonous if broken are commonly used to make rosary necklaces. It is native to tropical areas where it has become invasive its seeds spread by birds. It is not commonly grown in North Carolina but it has become quite weedy in Florida where it has invaded pinelands. Their deep roots are very difficult to remove.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Abrus
- Species:
- precatorius
- Family:
- Fabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Seeds are used as standards of weight and measurement in jewelry as beads or in percussion instruments
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Tropical
- Distribution:
- Imported to USA
- Climbing Method:
- Twining
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Vine
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Fruit Type:
- Legume
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- The seeds, from a pea-shaped oblong flat truncate pod, 1 1/2"-2" long curls back when opening to reveal 3 to 8 hard-coated, glossy, two-toned: brilliant scarlet-red over 2/3 of the length and black over the narrow 1/3. The seeds give its common name of crab's eyes.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Description:
- Small, white to violet-pink, clustered in the axils of leaves.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Pinnately compound leaves alternate, petioled, and 2-5 inches long, with 5 to 15 pairs of oval to oblong leaflets less than 1″ long
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Problems:
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- HIGHLY TOXIC MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN! If chewed seeds are ingested, then after a delay of hours or days: nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain and diarrhea, tremors, high heart rate, fever, shock, burning in throat; later ulcerative lesions of mouth and esophagus; can be fatal.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Abrin, a protein
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Seeds
