The sweet fragrance of datura flowers can envelope your whole yard on a calm evening.
Members of the genus Datura are half-hardy perennials that are usually grown as annuals. Their flowers appear in mid to late summer and continue until frost.
Many varieties are native to the Americas, with a few varieties native to Europe and Asia.
All parts of the plant contain psychotropic chemicals that can be deadly if used improperly. It has a long history of use in witches’ brews and love potions, as well as causing delirium and death.
Remains of datura used in a ritual context have been found in archaeological sites in southern Texas dating to 2000 BC. Petroglyphs in the region dating from 2200 to 950 BC depict shamans holding datura “staffs.”
The varieties of datura native to Eurasia have been used in shamanic practice for centuries and appear in Chinese and Sanskrit herbals.
Some common names of Datura are Thorn Apple, Jimson Weed, Hell’s Bells, Devil’s Weed and Apple-Peru, among others. The word “datura” comes from the Hindi dhatura (thorn apple).
Datura are easy to grow from seed. Many varieties re-seed themselves prolifically and can become invasive if the seed pods are not removed
While they are prolific re-seeders in the garden and in the wild, starting datura seeds indoors usually has mixed results. Start seeds indoors about 8 to 10 weeks before frost free weather in your area.
Provide bottom heat to hasten germination and increase your chances of success. Some claim that soaking the seeds prior to planting helps increase germination rates. Others claim chilling in the refrigerator for six weeks and then scarifying the seed with an emery board increases germination rates. The seeds can take 3 to 6 weeks or more to germinate, so be patient.
Plant transplants in the garden after all danger of frost has past. Datura like dry, sandy, well drained soils in full sun and will not grow in wet, heavy soils. They will grow in partial shade, but the plants will be much smaller and produce fewer flowers.
Space the plants 6 to 8 inches apart and water regularly until they are established. In areas with mild winters, datura will die down to its roots in winter and re-grow in spring.
It has been said that when you sleep in the presence of datura flowers you have intense nightmares caused by the psychotropic properties of their scent.
No wonder they’ve been associated with magic for thousands of years.
Entries (RSS)