Datura wrightii

Sacred Datura, Jimson Weed, Thorn Apple

Accent

The dark leaves are velvety and about five by four inches. The plant can reach three feet high and six feet wide.

Temperature

Root is cold hardy.

Water requirements

None.

Sun

Full sun.

Soil

Tolerant.

Maintenance

None.

Disadvantages

Entire plant is poisonous. Dies back in winter, but comes back in spring.

Bloom

Immense white, fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers open in early evening, closing the next morning. The blossom period lasts from May to October. they are pollinated by sphinx moths.

Fruit or Seeds

Golf ball-sized fruits covered with spines hang from the plant like Christmas tree ornaments, maturing from medium green to tan. They give the plant one of its common names, Thorn Apple.

Uses

Use as a seasonal accent. Natives have used the plant as a hallucinogen.

Origin

Native to Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Member of the Solanaceae family.

Themes

Native, Desert Grassland, Desert, Desert Transitional, Fragrant.

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