Datura is a plant with an ambiguous characteristic. Its beautiful large flowers in the form of pipes fascinate with their beauty. However, the toxicity of the plant scares away many gardeners. The history of Datura is very long, it’s even impossible to establish exactly where his homeland is. In mythology and traditions of the peoples of different continents, datura grass, datura, angel trumpets, henbane, moon flower or devil grass are mentioned. The plant used shamans to communicate with spirits and healers to get rid of terrible diseases. It can serve as a flower and an excellent decoration of the landscape. By following the precautions, you can easily grow dope in your own garden.
Plant description
Datura is a grassy evergreen perennial. Most often found in tropical and subtropical regions, preferring steppe or mountainous terrain. In the vast temperate climate, Datura is grown as an annual crop. The plant has erect or lodging stems. The length of the shoot can be 50-120 cm. It is fed by a long rod rhizome, painted in white or cream color.
The tubular, hollow stem is covered on the outside with a smooth dark green or reddish bark. Over the years, the base is lignified and acquires a reddish-brown color. On the trunk, lateral processes with large jagged or oblong leaves are formed. Each grows on a long petiole. Dark green foliage is located next. The length of the sheet plate is about 15 cm and the width is 10 cm. The surface of the dense leathery sheet is smooth, from the bottom it is painted in lighter colors. Along the central vein is a light strip.
From June to the first frosts, Datura delights with large beautiful flowers. Single buds are formed in the axils of the leaves or on the forks of the stems. The length of the funnel, consisting of five sectors, can reach 25 cm, but more often equal to 10-15 cm. Flowers are painted in white, yellow, pink, lilac or purple. They can have a simple bell shape with fused petals, or a more complicated spiral structure of the petals. Flowers of some species are absolutely odorless, while others exude an intense pleasant aroma. Datura is a night flower; its buds open at sunset and close in the morning. Flowering can be observed during the day in cloudy weather.
The fruits are in large oblong seed capsules. They are covered with dense dark green skin with long spikes. Inside, the raft is divided into 4 compartments, which contain round or kidney-shaped black seeds 3-3.5 mm long. Fruiting begins in July.
Types of Datura
Datura genus is represented by 13 species. In culture, 3 of them are most often used.
Datura ordinary. A living plant, which in many countries is considered a weed, grows to a height of 1.2 m. A grassy erect stem is covered with large cut leaves. The bush forms few flowers. From the end of June, it is covered with beautiful white corollas up to 10 cm long. The decorative garden variety tatula can please gardeners with bright blue funnels.
Datura Native American. Very poisonous plant with gray-green ovoid foliage. The flowers are white, simple or double, 10-12 cm long. The species was used by the inhabitants of Central and North America as a hallucinogenic and soporific agent.
Datura indian. This species is considered the most decorative. It is most often found in culture. Plants form branched bushes about 1 m high. Large leaves on long stalks have an oblong shape and are colored dark green. Popular varieties:
- Ballerina - terry flowers from several rows of fused funnels of light purple or yellow color;
- Medea - dissolves simple snow-white flowers 15-20 cm long.
- Flore Pleno - terry purple flowers, covered with white specks.
Breeding methods
Datura, which is grown in the form of an annual, is propagated by seeds. In order to get flowering plants as early as possible, it is first planted on seedlings. To do this, the seeds collected last summer are dried and stored in a cool place in a paper bag. In February, the seeds are soaked for 1-2 days in warm water, and then planted in containers with sand and peat soil to a depth of 5 mm. During the germination period, the containers are kept at a temperature of 15 ° C. Shoots appear after 2-3 weeks. When 2 real leaves bloom on the seedlings, they are dived in separate pots or disposable cups. Seedlings are grown in a room with bright, scattered light at a temperature of + 18 ... + 20 ° C. It should be watered moderately, but regularly. Plants from a height of 15 cm are planted in open ground.
In the southern regions, you can sow dope immediately into the open ground. They do this at the end of May, when the soil warms up enough and the probability of frost recedes completely. Seeds are planted in holes at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other, to a depth of 5 cm. Inputs appear slowly. The grown plants are thinned out, keeping a distance of about 1 m. Flowering is expected 3-4 weeks after emergence.
In autumn, cuttings can be cut from an adult dope bush. Apical shoots about 10 cm long are cut and rooted in garden soil with the addition of moss. It is recommended to process the bottom cut with Kornevin. For winter, seedlings are brought into the room, and in the spring they are transplanted into the open ground or grown in large tubs.
Plant care
Datura can be called an unpretentious plant, but some care rules must be observed. Seedlings are planted in the soil in late May or early June. Between plants, a distance of 1 m is necessary, since in the cramped area the datura develops poorly. When planting, it is important to preserve the earthen lump, as the rhizome is easily damaged.
The landing site should be sunny, dry and calm (stubs break easily from strong gusts). The soil must be nutritious and loose. Soils with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction are suitable, lime is added to acidic soils before planting.
Datura loves regular watering. Its large leaves evaporate a lot of moisture. With insufficient watering, they quickly wither and lose turgor. In the summer heat, the plant is watered daily or at least every other day. In this case, water should in no case be stagnant at the roots. To preserve the decorativeness of the leaves, periodic spraying with clean water is necessary.
During the growing season and flowering, Datura is in great need of nutrition. Fertilizers are applied 2-4 times a month. Feeding this fast-growing plant is almost impossible. Diluted mineral and organic complexes contribute to the soil. To make flowering more plentiful, the datura is watered with hard water. Occasionally, you can irrigate it with milk of lime. Lack of watering and fertilizer can lead to reduced flowering or full shedding of unopened buds.
So that in the lower part of the shoots are not exposed and the bush retains decorativeness, it must be cut. As a result of cropping, more colors are formed. The procedure is carried out at the end of flowering or in early spring. If plants are grown as perennials in the open field, in the late autumn all the shoots are removed to the ground. In spring, fresh seedlings are planted.
In central Russia, in the open ground, Datura does not winter. To beautiful bushes suffered frosts, they should be grown in tubs. Or annually in the fall to transplant from open ground into deep pots. Plants cannot tolerate a drop in temperature to + 6 ... + 8 ° C. In winter, Datura should be kept at + 10 ... + 12 ° C. In a hotter room, the stems will stretch out and bare even more. It is watered very rarely. Lighting may be moderate. In early spring, the bushes are transplanted and taken out to lighter and warmer rooms.
Datura is resistant to disease, but gray rot can develop in too dense plantings. Pests infect him rarely. Only in violation of agricultural technology on the crown can a red spider mite, weevils, whiteflies and forest bugs settle. Insecticide treatments help against parasites.
Datura in the garden
Due to long and plentiful flowering, as well as large unusual corollas, Datura is a welcome guest in any garden. It is used in mixborders, flower beds and single plantings. Fragrant varieties will serve not only as a visual decoration, but also mask the unpleasant odor from the compost heap. The lateral processes fall to the ground, forming a spherical bush. In this case, it is necessary to limit access to the plant for children and animals.
Grass in medicine
Datura is a poisonous, hallucinogenic plant. Its juice contains alkaloids, in particular atropine and scopolamine, as well as tannins, fats, carotene and essential oils. The largest number of trace elements is part of the seeds. Under the influence of dope components, a person experiences hallucinations, amnesia, mental discomfort and loses coordination. The action can last several hours. With an overdose, irreversible processes in the brain are also possible.
For all its danger, Datura is used not only in traditional medicine and religious practices, but also in pharmacology. As you know, many poisons in small quantities serve as a medicine. With the help of drugs containing datura extract, they fight the following diseases:
- rheumatism;
- tachycardia;
- colitis;
- cholecystitis;
- bronchitis;
- bronchial asthma;
- neuralgia;
- seasickness.
Traditional medicine uses decoctions and tinctures with a dope to relieve nervous tension, relax muscles, reduce coughing, asthma and reduce seizures. Dope also treats abdominal cramps, peptic ulcer and is used to prevent thrombosis. Leaves are harvested at the beginning of flowering. They are dried in the fresh air under a canopy. Dry raw materials are ground into powder and stored in paper bags for a year. The roots can be harvested throughout the year.
Known use in the cosmetic industry of depilatory oil from the leaves and roots of Datura. With regular rubbing into the skin, the hair becomes thinner and grow more slowly, and eventually disappear completely.
Datura is also used in animal husbandry. Fresh leaves are added to pig feed to speed up the formation of fat. Herbal preparations help relieve cattle spasms.
Precautionary measures
Despite all the positive properties, Datura remains one of the most poisonous plants in the world. Signs of an overdose are:
- dilated pupils;
- rapid pulse;
- redness of the skin;
- headache attack;
- dry mucous membranes.
If such symptoms are found, immediately rinse the stomach, take absorbent drugs and go to the hospital.
