# jimsonweed (*Datura stramonium*) Jimsonweed is a tall plant with big, trumpet-shaped flowers that can be white or purple. It grows in sunny places and has spiky seed pods that look like little green balls. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Urban areas - **Also known as:** Devil's Trumpet ![jimsonweed](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Datura_stramonium_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-051.jpg&width=800) Photo: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Datura_stramonium_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-051.jpg) ## Appearance The jimsonweed has large, ovate, dark green leaves with irregular wavy margins. It produces distinctive trumpet-shaped flowers, typically white or pale lavender, that stand upright. Its most unique feature is its spherical, prickly seed pods, resembling a thorny apple. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Solanaceae - **Genus:** Datura ## Interesting facts - Ancient cultures sometimes used jimsonweed in spiritual rituals, but it's super dangerous! - Jimsonweed is related to tomatoes and potatoes, but unlike them, every part of it is poisonous. - Some farmers call it 'devil's snare' because it can quickly take over disturbed farm fields. - The plant's scientific name, \*Datura\*, comes from a Hindi word, hinting at its old cultural uses. ## Special abilities - **Defense Spines:** Jimsonweed has spiky seed pods that help protect its developing seeds from hungry animals. - **Night Fragrance:** Its beautiful flowers open at night and release a sweet scent, which helps it attract nocturnal moths for pollination. - **Toxin Shield:** Jimsonweed produces powerful natural chemicals, making it poisonous to most animals that might try to eat it. - **Seed Persistence:** Jimsonweed seeds can stay dormant and alive in the soil for many years, waiting for the right conditions to sprout. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-150 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 7-12 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Deadly - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Tobacco hornworm moth (*Manduca sexta*) — Adult moths visit the flowers at night - **Eats:** Tobacco hornworm (*Manduca sexta*) — The larvae feed on its leaves - **Eats:** Jimsonweed lady beetle (*Epilachna straminea*) — Both larvae and adults feed on its foliage ## Traits - [Bell-Shaped Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/bell-shaped-flower): Bell-shaped flowers possess petals fused or arranged to form a cup-like or campanulate structure resembling a bell. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [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. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Poisonous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/poisonous): Poisonous organisms produce toxins that can cause harm when ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through contact. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 5/5 · Extreme Do not touch or eat any part of this plant, as it can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify jimsonweed? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is jimsonweed? 60-150 cm ### How wide does jimsonweed spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on jimsonweed? 7-12 cm ### When does jimsonweed bloom? Summer to fall ### Is jimsonweed edible? No ### Is jimsonweed toxic? Deadly ### What is jimsonweed's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Center Square/Hudson–Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/center-square-hudson-park-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Commerce Street Residential Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/commerce-street-residential-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [East Commerce Street Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-commerce-street-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [East Greenwich Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/east-greenwich-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Four Corners](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/four-corners) — New Jersey, US · Neighborhood - [Grand Caverns](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grand-caverns) — Virginia, US · Natural Landmark [View all places to see jimsonweed](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/jimsonweed) ## 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*) --- Source: [Jimsonweed: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/jimsonweed)