A beautiful but dangerous flower
Today’s Friday Flower Fiesta features only one flower but three pictures of that flower, as well as a little discussion about the flower.
That is a flower of the Datura plant. Common names include moonflower, angel’s trumpet, witches weed, nightshade, thorn apple, Indian apple, devil’s trumpet, jimsonweed, and henbane. Older plant books might also have them listed as Brugmansia plants. However, modern genetics has been able to separate Datura and Brugmansia into two species.
There are two main differences that will help you determine whether your plant is a Datura or a Brugmansia:
Datura is usually a vine with large, erect flowers.
Brugmansia is usually a bush or small tree with large, pendulent flowers.
Both species contain tropane alkaloids in their milky white sap, as well as the flowers. Tropane alkaloids can cause severe skin irritation, blindness, loss of voice, kidney damage, hallucinations, and in some cases, death.
Unfortunately, some children know of their hallucinogic properties and sometimes make Datura or Brugmansia tea to drink. Those same children often suffer permanent vocal chord and kidney damage, and too many have died.
Both Datura and Brugmansia look beautiful. At night the flowers open wide, becoming some of the most aromatic flowers on Earth. However, if you brush up against the leaves of the Datura species during the day, you’ll stink as bad as a skunk.
At the home I owned from 1999-2001, I had several Daturas and Brugmansias, and as soon as the sun went down, the aroma could be smelled blocks away. I did have to wear long sleeves and long pants whenever I pruned them because I have a severe skin reaction to the sap.
If you have either of these two plants at your house, protect them from children, dogs, cats, and unknowing adults.
This post approved by
Looking for real estate services in San Diego County?
I can highly recommend
James Frimmer, Realtor
Century 21 Award, DRE #01458572
If you’re looking for a home inspector,
I can recommend Russel Ray — that’s me!
Posted on November 9, 2012, in Flora, Friday Flower Fiesta, Mother & Father Nature, Photos and tagged angel's trumpet, brugmansia pictures, datura pictures, devil's trumpet, henband, Indian apple, jimsonweed, moonflower, nightshade, thorn apple, witches weed. Bookmark the permalink. 27 Comments.
Interesting post….
Hmmm, nice plants, if not ingested
I must be on the same wavelength with you Russel. As soon as I read the title of your post, I said “this must be the sacred datura plant” and there it was. Great post.
Hello,
Just letting you know that I’ve nominated you for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award.
Check it out http://liveonne.wordpress.com/
Thank you, Chelsea!
You’re welcome Russel
Congrats
Good clicks and nice info!
ah, the lovely aroma of this plant is intoxicating! i have a few cuttings rooting in my yard and look forward to when they’ll cast their evening magic in the yard. thanks for the reminder of what a unique plant it is!
z
Thank you for the info. but above all thanks for the wonderful pictures! The flower with the dew seems so angelic
And to think I was living dangerously with oleander! These sound lovely for the aroma alone. Love your photos!
How did our Zoey get so wet?
She took a bath, or rather I gave her a bath. I used that picture because in about an hour she’s going to get her Fall bath. That picture was her Spring bath.
great Info! And for some more info, Lord Shiva’s (One of the three main Hindu Gods) favourite flower is the Datura flower so it has its own importance in my country!!.
beautiful photos and very interesting. i will now have to check with my friend if she has the real deal. she has moon flowers but not sure if the dangerous ones that you talk of.
It always amazes me that such a beautiful and fragrant plant is so dangerous.
Beautiful photos…beauty and danger often do go together…a little like an Icewolf!!
Poor Zoey the Cool Cat! She does look endearingly bedraggled there
Yes the Deadly Nightshade, such a beauty that defies its secret
Emu
Stunning photo of this magic flower !
So educational. Thank you.
Beautiful and deadly, like the Bond girl in Skyfall..saw it today. Hey, thanks for the info. I’ll watchout for that.
Wow, that was really useful and clear. I’m always reading articles about these beautiful and dangerous flowers and weeds, but without the photos they are drastically less helpful!
Wow really interesting! I always learn something from your blogs Russel hahaha! Thank you for posting
That’s a very interesting post. Who would’ve thought something so amazingly beautiful could be so dangerous. Beautiful names too.
My gratitude for passing on this knowledge!
Did Zoey have a bath?
Yep. Zoey the Cool Cat had her semiannual bath. She howls like a coyote during the bath but she’s so happy once her fur dries.
Beauty is almost always dangerous but this danger can often lead to a deeper understanding of alternate realities…
Pingback: photo of the day: snowflake flower « my sweetpainteddreams