Leaf
Pierre Bonnet, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Thorn apple
Datura stramonium L.
Also known as: Jimsonweed, Devil's trumpet
Family: Solanaceae
50 cm to 1.5 m
Waste ground, rubble, crops, rich soils
Flowering: July – September
Full sun
Not very hardy, to -5°C only
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Fruit a capsule covered in spines, unique among our common plants — the whole plant is highly toxic.
🍃 Leaves
Large, cut into irregular teeth, unpleasant smell when crushed
🌸 Flowers
Large upright white trumpets, very showy
🍎 Fruits
Large oval capsule covered in sturdy spines
🪵 Bark
Large annual herbaceous plant, with a sturdy, branching stem.
🗺️ Distribution
Probably native to Central America, naturalised worldwide; common in France on rubble and waste ground
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large white trumpet-shaped flowers, night-blooming, pollinated by moths (hawk-moths)
✂️ Horticultural uses
Rarely grown in gardens because of its toxicity, sometimes tolerated for its large ornamental flowers
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Whole plant highly toxic (tropane alkaloids: atropine, scopolamine), seeds particularly dangerous, risk of serious or even fatal neurological disorders if eaten. Never eat or use for self-medication.
🌿 Other Solanaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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