# Datura

Datura is a beautiful flower known for its trumpet-shaped blooms. It grows in various colors like white, yellow, and purple. Be careful, as all parts of the plant are poisonous if eaten.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate
- **Habitat:** Desert
- **Also known as:** Angel's Trumpet, Thorn Apple

![Datura](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Datura_stramonium_flower01.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Palagiri, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Datura_stramonium_flower01.jpg)

## Appearance

The Datura has large, dramatic trumpet-shaped flowers, often white or purple, that unfurl in the evening. Its leaves are broad and ovate, and it produces distinctive spiky seed pods after flowering.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Solanales
- **Family:** Solanaceae
- **Genus:** Datura

## Interesting facts

- Its spooky-looking spiky fruit is sometimes called 'thorn apple' or 'jimsonweed'.
- Many ancient cultures used Datura in special rituals, believing it could connect them to spirits.
- Some Datura seeds can stay hidden in the soil for over 40 years before finally sprouting!
- Specific types of hawk moths have learned to safely drink nectar from its toxic flowers.

## Special abilities

- **Night Bloom Power:** Datura's flowers open at dusk and release a strong scent to attract nocturnal pollinators, like moths.
- **Spiky Seed Defenders:** The plant grows tough, spiky seed pods that protect its precious seeds until they are ready to spread.
- **Toxic Shield:** Datura produces powerful natural chemicals, making it poisonous to most animals that try to eat it.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-150 cm
- **Spread:** 30-100 cm
- **Flower Size:** 10-20 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Deadly
- **Lifecycle:** Annual
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** White-lined Sphinx Moth (*Hyles lineata*) — Drinks nectar and helps spread pollen.
- **Eats:** Tobacco Hornworm (*Manduca sexta*) — Caterpillars feed on leaves, often unaffected by toxins.
- **Parasitizes:** Early Blight Fungus (*Alternaria solani*) — Causes leaf spots and blight on Datura plants.

## Traits

- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health.
- [Night Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/night-blooming): Night blooming plants open their flowers after sunset, often to attract nocturnal pollinators with their scent and appearance.
- [Desert](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/desert): Desert habitats are arid regions characterized by extremely low precipitation and often extreme temperatures, supporting specialized flora and fauna.
- [Toxic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/toxic): Toxic organisms contain substances that are poisonous and can cause adverse effects upon exposure.
- [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact.

## Collections

- [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers)

## Safety

**Danger:** 3/5 · Moderate

Do not touch or eat any part of the Datura plant as it is poisonous.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Datura?

Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Datura?

30-150 cm

### How wide does Datura spread?

30-100 cm

### How big are the flowers on Datura?

10-20 cm

### When does Datura bloom?

Summer to Fall

### Is Datura edible?

No

### Is Datura toxic?

Deadly

### What is Datura's lifecycle?

Annual

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Datura: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/datura)