# Sacred Datura (*Datura wrightii*) Sacred Datura is a beautiful flower with big, white, trumpet-shaped blooms. It grows in warm places and has a lovely, sweet scent that attracts butterflies and bees. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 4/5 · High - **Snaps:** 47 - **Habitat:** Desert ![Sacred Datura](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Datura_wrightii_flower2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Dlarsen, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Datura_wrightii_flower2.jpg) ## Appearance The Sacred Datura has large, funnel-shaped white flowers, often tinged with lavender, that dramatically unfurl at dusk. Its broad, fuzzy, grey-green leaves are distinctively lobed. The plant forms a sprawling bush. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Solanales - **Family:** Solanaceae - **Genus:** Datura ## Interesting facts - Its huge, trumpet-like flowers can grow longer than a child's hand! - Some ancient cultures used Datura in sacred ceremonies for spiritual visions. - The flowers release a surprisingly sweet perfume that attracts night-flying insects! - The plant's spiky seed pods burst open to release many small seeds. ## Special abilities - **Night Bloom:** Sacred Datura's huge flowers open only at night, releasing a strong perfume to attract nocturnal pollinators like moths. - **Toxic Shield:** Sacred Datura has powerful toxic compounds in all its parts that help it defend against most hungry animals. - **Deep Drinker:** Sacred Datura can grow a long taproot to reach deep underground water sources, helping it survive dry conditions. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-150 cm - **Spread:** 100-200 cm - **Flower Size:** 10-20 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Deadly - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** White-lined Sphinx Moth (*Hyles lineata*) — They are key pollinators of the night-blooming flowers. - **Eats:** Tobacco Hornworm (*Manduca sexta*) — The caterpillars feed on the leaves despite the plant's toxins. ## Traits - [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators. - [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. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 4/5 · High Do not touch or eat any part of the plant without asking an adult, as it can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sacred Datura? 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 Sacred Datura? 50-150 cm ### How wide does Sacred Datura spread? 100-200 cm ### How big are the flowers on Sacred Datura? 10-20 cm ### When does Sacred Datura bloom? Summer ### Is Sacred Datura edible? No ### Is Sacred Datura toxic? Deadly ### What is Sacred Datura's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Alder Creek Grove](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alder-creek-grove) — California, US · Forest - [Anderson University](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/anderson-university) — South Carolina, US · Campus - [Arroyo Conejo Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arroyo-conejo-open-space) — California, US · Park - [Barrio De Analco Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrio-de-analco-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/black-diamond-mines-regional-preserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve - [Boyce Thompson Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boyce-thompson-arboretum) — Arizona, US · Botanical Garden [View all places to see Sacred Datura](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sacred-datura) ## 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: [Sacred Datura: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sacred-datura)