Scientific Family
Solanaceae
Synonyms
Datura inoxia, Datura metel, Datura meteloides
Other common names
sacred datura
Jimson weed
angel's trumpet
devil's weed
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual or perennial
Height
To 4 feet
Riparian
No
Sprawling mounded plant with large gray-green leaves and large rank-smelling large white flowers.
Tall plant with a spreading habit, large ovate gray-green leaves and large white funnel-shaped flowers with 5 teeth and spiky round fruits with spines.
Habitat
Dry washes and roadsides in deserts, creosote brush, sagebrush and uplands.
Plant Community
Pinyon Juniper Woodlands
Interior Chaparral
Grasslands
Disturbed Areas
Desert Scrub
Low elevation
1000
High elevation
6500
Flower Characteristics
Trumpet-shaped rank smelling white flowers to 8 inches long with 5 large fused petals sometimes tinged with violet (bluish-purple) and a tendril-like tip at the middle edge of each petal. The flowers open late in the day and close in the morning.
Flower color
White to pale bluish-purple
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
April
Last bloom month
November
Flower clusters
None
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Arrow-shaped velvety leaves are to 6 inches long and have prominent veins. The margins are wavy.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Grayish-green
Leaf shape
Triangular
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Round, spiny capsules are up to 2 inches wide.
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit color
Green to brown
Capsules contain many brown to red-brown seeds.