American Desert Thorn Apple
One of the most beautiful fragrant white trumpet-shaped desert wildflowers also has a dark and deadly side. The Sacred Datura is an exotic looking plant that grows from Nevada to northern Mexico in lose sand and on dry wash banks. It can reach up to 5' (1.5 m) in height and circumstance.
The sweet smelling Sacred Datura’s sinister side comes from the narcotic and lethal effects produced by its extracts. Its narcotic properties have been used in religious ceremonies by southwestern Native Americans since recorded history. However the hallucinogenic effects of the Datura are known to be stronger than Peyote, Psyillicibin, or LSD and can cause permanent psychosis.
Unfortunately all parts of the Datura contain dangerous levels of poison if ingested by animals or humans. In some areas it is prohibited to buy, sell or cultivate Datura plants.
The corollas or flowers protrude 6" (15 cm) from the foliage on a flared trumpet, opening in the late afternoon, they bloom during the night or on cloudy days. At the end of the flare, five slender teeth form a spiral on the rim.
The 11/2" (3.8 cm) prickly fruit which also gives the Datura one of its common names, the Thorn Apple, has many slender spines that when dry will cause painful punctures to the skin. In the fall the dry Throne Apple will open, expelling numerous seeds.
Regardless of the Datura's dark and deadly side, it is a most beautiful pollinating plant, often used in xeriscapes. I have several growing in my yard that attract nocturnal visitors like the sphinx or hawk moths.
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This truly a magical plant that I discovered in my garden in Northern Illinois! The Hawk Moth that lives in perfect harmony or symbiosis is a sight to behold as it's the size of a Huming bird and has glowing eyes.
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