Thorn Apple, Jimsonweed, Jamestown Weed
Datura stramonium

Family: Solanaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Purple, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early fall, Late summer, Mid summer, Mid fall. Form: Upright or erect.

Datura stramonium is a ANNUAL growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 1 m (3ft 3in) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Moths. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

Height (m): 1.5

Where it is found

Dry waste ground and amongst rubble or the ruins of old buildings.

Original habitat is obscure, it is found in many areas of the world, occasionally in S. Britain.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

Native to the tropical regions of Central and South America, D. stramonium has become a cosmopolitan weed in the warm regions of North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. It is now found throughout almost all the USA except for the north-west and northern great plains.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 4

The thornapple is a bitter narcotic plant that relieves pain and encourages healing. It has a long history of use as a herbal medicine, though it is very poisonous and should be used with extreme caution. The leaves, flowering tops and seeds are anodyne, antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, hallucinogenic, hypnotic, mydriatic and narcotic. The seeds are the most active medicinally. The plant is used internally in the treatment of asthma and Parkinson's disease, excess causes giddiness, dry mouth, hallucinations and coma. Externally, it is used as a poultice or wash in the treatment of fistulas, abscesses wounds and severe neuralgia. The use of this plant is subject to legal restrictions in some countries. It should be used with extreme caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner since all parts of the plant are very poisonous and the difference between a medicinal dose and a toxic dose is very small. The leaves should be harvested when the plant is in full flower, they are then dried for later use. The leaves can be used as a very powerful mind-altering drug, they contain hyoscyamine and atropine. There are also traces of scopolamine, a potent cholinergic-blocking hallucinogen, which has been used to calm schizoid patients. Atropine dilates the pupils and is used in eye surgery. The leaves have been smoked as an antispasmodic in the treatment for asthma, though this practice is extremely dangerous. The seeds are used in Tibetan medicine, they are said to have a bitter and acrid taste with a cooling and very poisonous potency. Analgesic, anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory, they are used in the treatment of stomach and intestinal pain due to worm infestation, toothache and fever from inflammations. The juice of the fruit is applied to the scalp to treat dandruff.

Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.

Anthelmintic: Expels parasites from the gut.

Antiasthmatic: Treats asthma.

Antidandruff: Treats dandruff.

Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.

Antispasmodic: Relaxes muscular spasms and cramps, calming nervous irritation.

Hallucinogenic: Causes the mind to hallucinate.

Hypnotic: Induces sleep.

Mydriatic: Dilates the pupils of the eyes.

Narcotic: Relieves pain, induces drowsiness and gives a sense of well-being.

Other

Rating: 1

The growing plant is said to protect neighbouring plants from insects. The juice of the fruits is applied to the scalp to cure dandruff and falling hair. There has also been considerable interest in the use of extracts of Datura species as botanical pesticides. D. metel, for example, appears to suppress a number of nematode species of economic importance. Landscape Uses: Border, Container, Foundation, Specimen.

Hair: Plants used as hair shampoos, tonics, to treat balding etc.

Repellent: Plants that are said to deter but not necessarily kill various mammals, birds, insects etc.

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Landscape Uses: Border, Container, Foundation, Specimen. Succeeds in most moderately good soils but prefers a rich light sandy soil or a calcareous loam, and an open sunny position. Plants often self-sow when well sited. The thornapple is cultivated commercially as a medicinal plant. It can become a weed in suitable conditions and is subject to statutory control in some countries. This species is extremely susceptible to the various viruses that afflict the potato family (Solanaceae), it can act as a centre of infection so should not be grown near potatoes or tomatoes. Grows well with pumpkins. The whole plant gives off a nauseating stench. Special Features: North American native, Naturalizing, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Sow the seed in individual pots in early spring in a greenhouse. Put 3 or 4 seeds in each pot and thin if necessary to the best plant. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 15°c. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Especially in areas with hot summers, it is worthwhile trying a sowing outdoors in situ in mid to late spring.

Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;

Habit: Annual

Hardiness: 6-9

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

All members of this genus contain narcotics and are very poisonous, even in small doses.

D. stramonium is very widely distributed in temperate and tropical areas and is likely to be found in almost any summer crop. Indeed, Holm et al. (1997) state that it has been reported as a weed in more than 40 crops in almost 100 countries.

Its other names

Local names

Common thornapple; devils trumpet; jamestown-weed; mad-apple; stinkwort. Spanish: belladona del pobre; cajon del diablo; chamico grande; chamisco; datura manzana; estramonio; manzana espinosa; peo de fraille. French: belladone; conchombre diable; concombre a chein; datura stramonie; herbe des taupes; pomme epineuse; stramonie commune. Arabic: datoora; tatoora. Portuguese: estramanonio; figueira do inferno; figueire do inferno; quinquilho. Bhutan: dhaturo; nyangmo-throkchang. Brazil: bem casado; estrasmónio; mamoninha brava; mata zombando; sia branca; trombeteira; zabumba. Cuba: campana; chamico. Germany: Stechapfel. Indonesia: kecubung lutik; kecubung wulung. Italy: indormia; stramonio comune. Japan: shirobanachosenasagao. Lebanon: daturah; nafir. Netherlands: Doornappel. Norway: piggeple. Poland: bielun dziedzierzawa. South Africa: bloustinkolie; doringapple; gewone; iloqi; lechoe; lethsowe; makolieboom; makstinkblaar; makstinkolie; malpitte; olieblaar; olieblaarneut; olieneut; pietjielaporte; steekappel; stinkblaar; umhlavuthwa; zaba-zaba. Sweden: spikklubba. Thailand: lampong. Zimbabwe: chowa.

Synonyms

Datura inermis Juss. ex Jacq. Datura pseudostramonium Sieb. Bernh. Tromms 1933. Datura str