Angel's trumpet (White) / Kužnjak

Description:

Angel's trumpet, also known as trumpet flower or the horn of plenty, is a tropical native that has long flowers. All Datura plants contain tropane alkaloids such as scopolamine, hyoscyamine, and atropine, primarily in their seeds and flowers. Because of the presence of these substances, Datura has been used for centuries in some cultures as a poison and as a hallucinogen.There can be a 5:1 toxin variation across plants, and a given plant's toxicity depends on its age, where it is growing, and the local weather conditions. This variation makes Datura exceptionally hazardous as a drug. It is toxic to humans and animals. It has a long trumpet shape. It also tends to grow downwards, making it inconvenient for bees to enter. Their short tongues aren’t able to properly reach to the nectar and pollen. Datura open their blossoms during the night which makes insects like moths more natural pollinators. Datura inoxia is an annual shrubby plant that typically reaches a height of 0.6 - 1.5 m. Its stems and leaves are covered with short and soft grayish hairs, giving the whole plant a grayish appearance. It has elliptic entire-edged leaves with pinnate venation. All parts of the plant emit a foul odor similar to rancid peanut butter when crushed or bruised, although most people find the fragrance of the flowers to be quite pleasant when they bloom at night. The flowers are white, trumpet-shaped, 12 - 19 cm long. They first grow upright, and later incline downward. It flowers from early summer until late fall. The fruit is an egg-shaped spiny capsule, about 5 cm in diameter. It splits open when ripe, dispersing the seeds. Another means of dispersal is by the fruit spines getting caught in the fur of animals, who then carry the fruit far from the mother plant. The seeds have hibernation capabilities, and can last for years in the soil.

Habitat:

It is native to Central and South America, and introduced in Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe. But for some parts of the world it is considered an invasive species.

Notes:

In some parts of Europe and India, Datura has been a popular poison for suicide and murder. Other names: thorn-apple, downy thorn-apple, Indian-apple, moonflower, sacred datura, nacazcul, toloatzin, tolguache or toloache