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Datura mentel
A short perennial to about 4-6ft. Branches, leaves and stems are tinted purple. The huge flowers can grow to 12". The plant flowers quickly from seed and can bloom in just a few months from planting. The large flowers are followed by circular, warty fruits that dry and pop open to expel seeds. All parts of this plant are extremely toxic and should not be ingested in any form. Ingestion of a single leaf can have severe side effects.
Grows best in filtered sun, but will also grow in full sun. Water fairly regularly. Grow in well-drained soil. Plants are very suitable to container culture.
D. metel is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called yáng jīn huā. However, the ingestion of D. metel in any form is dangerous and should be treated with extreme caution. All parts of Datura plants contain dangerous levels of tropane alkaloids (highly poisonous) and may be fatal if ingested by humans or other animals, including livestock and pets. In some places, it is prohibited to buy, sell or cultivate Datura plants. Datura metel may be toxic if ingested in a tiny quantity, symptomatically expressed as flushed skin, headaches, hallucinations, and possibly convulsions or even a coma. The principal toxic elements are tropane alkaloids. Accidentally (or intentionally) ingesting even a single leaf could lead to severe side effects.
Here is something I found, Keith.
Datura stramonium (Jimsonweed, also known as Devil's Trumpet) is found as an invasive wildflower in much of the United States and in Canada. It is related but not the same species.
http://uswildflowers.com/detail.php?SNam...
I would guess that this one that you found is an escapee from a garden (which is how many wildflowers establish themselves). I believe the species you have found is a cultivated species.
Someone has it growing wild in woods behind there house that's where I saw this.
keith, this plant does not grow wild in NY state. It is native to Southern China and grows in warmer climates than New York. It should be removed from the Wildflowers of New York State mission.
Thank you for your help, from what I read this plant is very toxic and even smelling it for too long can give you side effects. There were flies buzzing near it so the smell probably isn't pleasant.
Spotted on Sep 14, 2012
Submitted on Sep 14, 2012
