Jimsonweed

[Peanut]

Jimsonweed aka Datura sp. It’s in the nightshade family of plants which has several deadly members. And a few yummy ones, like potatoes.

There are 10 or so species of Datura. It’s highly toxic and causes several deaths each year. Usually by teenagers trying to get high. They don’t know when to harvest, what part to harvest or how to prepare it. And I’m certainly not going to write it down here. Frankly, there are better ways to get a buzz.

It’s almost never used in herbal medicine and then only as a topical salve. Its not used internally because it’s so dangerous. I recommend leaving this plant alone.

I rarely see it, in fact it’s been 10 years since I saw it last. But it’s good to know what it looks like… and to avoid it.

 

[Bacpacker]

I have that crap around here.

 

[Peanut]

I saw it beside a friends house today. I told him what it was so he could cut it down... before some dumb kid see's it and kills themselves trying to get high.

 

[Patchouli]

Datura. It’s dangerous for sure. Illegal too. In my one native plants groups a few are excited over having it in their flower beds. I guess it is a little bit different variety but they don’t care. Dangerous for livestock as well. It is not worth trying to use considering the harm it can do.
Common weed in many states. Saw it Pennsylvania, have seen it here.

 

[Bacpacker]

Peanut, just to make sure I'm seeing what I think I am,. Don't that have spiky thorns under the leaves? What I'm thinking of will stab you without some good gloves on

 

[Peanut]

@Bacpacker Spiky leaves? Not that I'm aware but I've only seen 2 of the 10 species... I'm not even sure which of the 10 species I've seen. I'm not going to use it so I'm not going to waste brain cells remembering details.

The local species have a seed pod with spikes though. Is this what you remember? The seed pods are about the size of a small egg. The spikes are like those on a cocklebur. they get hard when they dry in the fall.

 

[Bacpacker]

Must be something else. I'll geta pic next time I see one

 

[Morgan101]

The only time I ever heard of Jimson Weed was when Gene Autry was singing Back in the Saddle Again. Sounds like a good thing to stay away from.

 

[Patchouli]

Everything about the plant is toxic. Here are the 8 D's of Datura: Dryness of mouth, dysphagia, dilated pupils, dry, hot skin, drunken gait, delirium, drowsiness, death due to respiratory failure.
I think I read there are two varieties that are being used in gardens, I still wouldn't touch it or grow it myself. Definitely don't burn it.

 

[Amish Heart]

I think we have what you have, Bacpacker, and was told it was jimsonweed. I worry about burning it in the burn pile. Good thing grandson didn't know what it was, because he would of smoked it by now and probably killed any brain cells he has left.

 

[Magus]

Jimsonweed aka Datura sp. It’s in the nightshade family of plants which has several deadly members. And a few yummy ones, like potatoes.

There are 10 or so species of Datura. It’s highly toxic and causes several deaths each year. Usually by teenagers trying to get high. They don’t know when to harvest, what part to harvest or how to prepare it. And I’m certainly not going to write it down here. Frankly, there are better ways to get a buzz.

It’s almost never used in herbal medicine and then only as a topical salve. Its not used internally because it’s so dangerous. I recommend leaving this plant alone.

I rarely see it, in fact it’s been 10 years since I saw it last. But it’s good to know what it looks like… and to avoid it.

View attachment 112078View attachment 112079View attachment 112080

We cultivate it here as an ornamental shrub, gods they stink! I had a couple of classmates make some tea out of the flowers to trip, but they never came back!
There are three kinds of "LOCO WEED" used as ornamental, "Angel trumpets" that point down, "Devil trumpets" that point up, and the random colored regular ones, they come in several colors, and as I mentioned STINK! being in close proximity to the plant under the right conditions such as a sealed room can cause minor hallucinations, and just for info, there is an angry goddess associated with them.

 

[Peanut]

It definitely stinks. I wouldn't grow it near a home because it's too dangerous. Stink is just the icing on a bad cake.

 

[Patchouli]

@Peanut take a look at these photos. Are these datura?

@Bacpacker i came across photos of spiky leafed plants for datura. There are a few different kinds. This plant and others are growing prolifically in a park, along the path.

 

[Patchouli]

 

[Patchouli]

@Bacpacker one of the online photos from Wikip. Has a holly shaped leaf

 

[Peanut]

@Peanut take a look at these photos. Are these datura?
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The pic, post #13, is definitely not the datura that I see growing here. The stem is the wrong color and the leaves are wrong. The stem I see is similar to poke sallet, dark and very smooth, look above at my pics.

The leaves in the second pic you posted are more like what I see, post #14. Can't see the stem.

The 3rd pic, post #15, is defiantly Datura. See the dark stems?

 

[Patchouli]

Nine species of datura. Descriptions note the differences in stem color from gray/green to dark purple; differences in the flower, and surfaces of the leaves. While all are poisonous they do not all look the same. Some people like to touch the tips of leaves as they walk along. Not a good idea with any datura.

 

[Peanut]

Even closely related species can look very different. Like the plantains, 6 species grow here. 5 look nothing like each other. The 6th one is almost identical to 1st, plantago major, the difference is only the color of the stem. But medically they are all identical.

Then there are plants that look almost identical, like Bo hog root and water hemlock. One will kill you dead the other leads to a great time... (which might kill you dead )

Even a single species can change radically as it grows. Look like a completely different plant in a week. Then there's the really weird ones. Like sassafras, it's leaves can be any one of 4 different shapes, all at the same time on the same tree! Or a single shape on one tree while the one next to it has a different single shape.

 

[Magus]

Which brings us to peyote buttons... They will grow here but where can I get seed?