I have been growing Datura in my yard for years. I don’t even remember how I got the seeds or if it was a transplant. It is one of my favorite plants due to its hardiness, night time beauty, and requiring little care.
The genus Datura is from the nightshade family (Solanaceae) and has 9 different species. Most people refer to them as thornapples or jimsonweeds, but they are also known as Devil’s Trumpets. It is not the same thing as Angel Trumpet, which is in another genus.
Datura has been used for thousands of years in medicine, magic, and other more nefarious activities and has been used in Greek, Roman, Hindu and Aztec cultures. All species of Datura are extremely poisonous, especially their seeds and flowers, which can cause difficulty breathing, abnormal heartbeats, delirium, hallucinations, psychosis, and even death if taken internally. Because of this, several states have passed legislation prohibiting Datura. Some states banning Datura include Connecticut
and Kansas.
So, I bet you are asking why would you want to even have this in your yard? If you have pets that eat plants, then I probably would not have it growing in my landscape. Fortunately, my dogs have no interest in eating plants, so I allow it to grow. I grow it for its nighttime beauty and ease of care. I grow mine in the ground. I have horrible soil (white caliche clay), so I am happy to have something that will grow without a lot of fuss! If you have one plant, then plan on having more as it reseeds easily, and some say it is invasive. Once established if you decide to pull it up, just know you will likely have to pull it up again the following year. I have found that it only reseeds and grows in the same spot year after year. It does die back to the ground in the winter. I grow mine in full sun and only water when we don’t have any rain. If allowed to depend on rain fall alone, it will be a shorter, squattier plant. If it receives supplemental water, it can be quite large. Mine grew to about 5-6 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide but was beautiful when blooming. The flowers open at dusk and the fragrance is wonderful. They are typically white but can have some purple hues in the center. Some species are more of a lavender color and can also come in yellow, purple, lavender, and red. They are quite large and beautiful! In addition, it attracts pollinators like the Sphinx Moth, which I love to see feeding on it at night. Another cool feature is if you break a branch it smells like peanut butter! After it flowers it forms spiny seed heads that dry and then crack open, and then the seeds drop. If you want, you can collect the seed heads once they open and just shake the seeds on the ground somewhere else, and it will come up the following year. But handle with care; they can be sharp!
As far as care, I occasionally water in the summer if it’s real hot and dry. I have never fertilized it, but I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt to occasionally use an all-purpose fertilizer. Mine has always bloomed prolifically without it. If you want it to get big, then water more. It grows quickly, so allow plenty of room. It also can grow in a container, but mine stayed small in a container and didn’t bloom as prolifically. The picture at the top of this post shows my Datura in an area that got watered regularly, so you can see how large it can get! It almost overtook my patio!
Datura can be difficult to find. I have only seen one nursery in our area that carried it, and that was a few years ago. You will probably have better luck getting seeds from someone who has a plant.
If you have a spot in your yard and want a beautiful plant with flowers and fragrance, I encourage you to try Datura. You won’t be disappointed!
by Angie McKune, ECMG intern