Garden dope, how to properly plant and care for this poisonous flower

Datura has accompanied humanity since ancient times. Having attracted attention with the beauty and aroma of his flowers, he became in demand and gradually revealed to people all his valuable properties.

Descriptions of this flower are found in many countries.In ancient Mexico, priests used it to fall into ecstasy, communicate with spirits and perform ritual ceremonies. In India, datura was used as a murder weapon and the science of killing with its help was specially taught.

Europeans discovered a lot of medicinal properties in this plant and already in the 14th century they used it as an anesthetic in surgery. Later, vasoconstrictor and anticonvulsant substances were isolated from it, and today Datura is grown from seeds in special fields as a medicinal crop for pharmacological needs.

Datura is quite often found in private plots. It is valued by gardeners for its extraordinary decorativeness, aroma and easy care.

Description of the date

In Russian conditions, datura grows as an annual crop. In just one season, this plant reaches the size of a shrub up to 90 cm high and up to 1.5 m in diameter.

Its most common types are datura and Indian. Judging by the photo, the first of them looks much simpler than its relative, therefore it is rarely used in gardening, reproduces by self-sowing, and lives in wastelands, landfills, and abandoned fields.

Datura Indian is actively used in decorative landscaping. It served as the basis for breeding hybrids, most of which have a double flower structure.

The leaves and stems of the plant are large and richly green. The flowers are large bells, cup-side up. The bud blooms mainly at night, emits a delicate aroma, withers after a day, but is immediately replaced by a new flower.

The seeds ripen in a large box with thorns. From the photograph you can see that when ripe the box opens on its own.

If you plan to collect seeds for subsequent planting, Careful observation of the box is required.

Why is Datura dangerous for humans and can it be grown in the garden?

To the description of Datura it is necessary to add that all parts of the plant are poisonous, therefore, dope poses some danger, but flower growers successfully grow a huge number of both indoor and outdoor flowers that are no less poisonous.

The main rule is to be careful:

• All activities related to planting the datura, its cultivation and care should be carried out with gloves,
• do not use parts of plants for any needs (composting, making bouquets, using boxes and seeds as ornamental material, etc.),
• do not leave small children unattended, and explain the situation to adults and older children,
• Store collected seeds separately in an inaccessible place.

   Growing Datura from seeds

Most often, Datura is grown from seeds. Like many plants of the nightshade family, its seeds require a fairly high temperature for germination: +23, +25 degrees. At lower temperatures they hatch much more slowly.

There are several ways to speed up the process:

1. Place the seeds in a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours. During this time, the shell will soften somewhat and shoots will appear faster.
2. Moisten the seeds well, put them in a bag and place them in the light, in a warm place. When sprouts appear, sow one seed into a glass. So gradually all the planting material will be used.
3. Stratification. This method is only suitable for Datura vulgare, which is predisposed to reproduce by self-sowing.Its seeds undergo stratification under natural conditions; this will also help at home. To do this, you need to moisten a cloth, wrap the seeds in it, place it in a bag, and store it for three to four weeks on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. During this time, microcracks appear on the shell, which will accelerate germination.

The time for sowing seedlings is from February to April. The soil required is light and nutritious. Half a centimeter will be enough to sprinkle the seeds on top. You can sow one seed at a time in a separate cup or in a common container, followed by picking.

No need to grow a lot of seedlings. The picture shows how much space is required for one bush.

You can also sow seeds in open ground. Sowing time is determined by the weather. Usually this is the beginning of May, when the soil warms up to +18 degrees.

You need to allocate a sunny, quiet place for planting datura. A drainage layer of crushed stone, pebbles or expanded clay is laid in the flowerbed. The soil needs to be loose, nutritious, with a predominance of compost. In the open air, the soil erodes faster, so the seeds are sown a little deeper, about 1.0 cm.

If you build a greenhouse over the flowerbed, more moisture will be retained, the soil will warm up more, and the seeds will germinate quickly and amicably.

    Planting Datura in the ground

Plants are planted with seedlings and seeds on the site. The conditions for planting Datura in open ground are the onset of consistently warm weather, which in most regions corresponds to the second half of May.

It is worth selecting a sunny place, protected from the wind. The soil should be fertile, loose, with good drainage.

The distance between bushes is at least 1 meter; datura is a strong plant and covers large areas.

This circumstance must be taken into account when joint plantings with other colors. Datura looks beautiful with tall companions, and short ones very soon find themselves under its powerful bush, as in this photo.

Datura care

Datura is not capricious, but it is demanding on soil fertility; it is not without reason that when self-seeding, it chooses heaps with humus and compost. Loose, nutritious soil is one of the main conditions for successful cultivation.

The plant's rapid growth and location in the sun require abundant watering, so in regions with a temperate climate it should be watered every other day, and in hot climates - daily.

Good development and flowering are ensured by fertilizing every 7 to 10 days with mineral fertilizer alternating with organic matter.

Removing the faded parts along with the seed capsule promotes the formation of new buds and preserves the strength of the plant.

Caring for datura does not contain any specific measures and the timing coincides with caring for most plants in the garden, so planting datura is profitable and not burdensome.

   How to preserve a flower in winter, can it be brought into the house?

If desired, you can place Datura in your apartment for the winter. But it is necessary to take into account that at this time a period of rest begins for it, and the plant should not bloom.

Only healthy plants are subject to wintering. It is first necessary to prune them and transplant them from open ground into a container.

You can store the bushes in the cellar, not forgetting to water them occasionally. At the end of February, move them to light and warmth, feed them with mineral fertilizer and increase watering.

To overwinter in an apartment, datura is left on the windowsill, watered once a week, and fed twice a month. In warmth, its development does not stop; it continues to grow upward and occupies a large space.

There are several arguments against winter storage:

• Datura grows from seeds to a full-fledged flowering bush in one season, it makes sense to grow a new plant every year,
• pruning, transportation, storage, care cause a lot of trouble,
• Datura is not a good neighbor in your home, it is poisonous and occupies large areas,
• Datura reproduces well from cuttings. If you want to preserve the variety you like, root several cuttings in the fall.

   Reproduction methods

Datura reproduces by seeds and cuttings. The seed method is described above; cuttings are an even easier option.

The best time for cutting Datura is the beginning of autumn. Flowering is still ongoing and young green branches can be selected for cuttings. They are divided into segments of 2–3 internodes and placed for rooting in water or placed in cups with soil.

Cuttings quickly take root. For wintering they are placed in the sunniest window. Care for datura in the same way as other indoor flowers. When warm weather arrives, plants are planted in a flower bed.

   How to collect and store seeds

The best seeds come from the very first flowers. As soon as they bloom, you need to immediately mark them with a ribbon or in some other way so as not to lose them among others.

The ripening capsule must be constantly monitored. It opens on its own, and the seeds are scattered to the sides. To prevent this, you need to put light fabric bags or something similar on the boxes.

Seeds should be stored separately from other seed in a signed bag out of the reach of household members and especially children. Germination lasts up to 10 years.

   Useful and dangerous properties of Datura ordinary

Substances isolated from dope are widely used in medicine. They have analgesic, antiseptic and antispasmodic effects.

Such drugs are used to treat diseases associated with spasm of smooth muscles (bronchial asthma, spastic colitis, liver disease). Heart rhythm disturbances can also be treated with Datura preparations.

But at home, you should not try to isolate medicinal substances or treat yourself with this plant. The risk of overdose and poisoning is too high. It is much more useful to receive aesthetic pleasure from the sight of such a beautiful plant, and to purchase drugs based on it at the pharmacy with a doctor’s prescription.

   Datura varieties with photos and descriptions

Today, there is growing interest in datura from both gardeners and breeders. This explains the emergence of new interesting varieties. You can find a description of some of them on this page.

The photographs show Datura vulgare in new modifications. This is no longer just a white bell, but a snow-white flower, decorated with bright orange stamens and another option - with a blue star inside.

Although the variety has appeared in a new form, it still grows without special care, which is of interest to gardeners.

Most of the hybrids are created on the basis of the Indian datura. Thus, the “knight” series presented in the photographs surprises with the splendor of its forms and the delicacy of its shades.

Datura of this series is successfully grown in open ground, forms bushes up to 70 cm in height, blooms from June until cold weather, and in regions with a mild climate it reproduces by self-sowing.

Some purple varieties are magnificent in themselves, and are also distinguished by round-the-clock flowering. This is important because many daturas bloom at night, the flower withers during the day, and only buds show off on the bush. In the photo there is a purple broom variety called Ballerina, which constantly decorates the garden with its appearance.

Datura stramonium Inermis has no spines on its seed pods. This makes the seeds more accessible to children. Growing this variety requires vigilance.

Does Datura cause much harm? Much less than useful. Having mastered the simple rules, you can enjoy his company for many years.

Whether to decorate your garden with such a plant is a personal choice for each gardener.

Continuation of the topic:

1. How to grow Brugmansia from seeds
2. Brugmansia varieties with photos and descriptions
3. Caring for Brugmansia outdoors and indoors
4. Planting and caring for lilacs in the garden