Extraordinary power comes from the mysterious flowers that bloomed in huge numbers on a beautiful green bush. It’s hard to resist touching and picking white, lilac, cream, and pink bells for bouquets. And only ancient legends and myths about the harmful effects of the plant on people and animals prevent this desire.
The history of the appearance of a flower on the planet is shrouded in the same mystery. The legends of many peoples contain information about Datura grass, moonflower, prickly apples, cocklebur, sorcerers' grass, etc. It is not so important in which place the first bushes of this amazing plant were found (America, Mexico, Caspian regions). Its hallucinogenic properties were used by sorcerers, shamans, alchemists, healers, and church ministers. Nowadays, preparations created on the basis of all parts of the plant are widely used in official, folk, and homeopathic medicine. Landscape design specialists recommend planting datura to create long-flowering compositions.
Description of the Datura plant
In the natural environment, Datura grows next to housing, in vacant lots, and on roadsides. The plant is considered a perennial evergreen shrub. In the climate of the middle zone, Datura is grown as an annual. Datura belongs to the widespread family of Solanaceae (Solanaceae), a class of dicotyledonous representatives (angiosperms). Its name is associated with a version of the word Datura, meaning “prickly” due to the characteristics of the Datura fruit, which is covered with thorns. The bushes have some differences.
Stem
Erect, hollow, complex trifoliate shape. The outer side of the stem is green, allowing for a red-violet tint at the base. The height of the stems can be 120 cm. As the bush develops over many years, the lower parts of the stems become lignified. On the trunks, shoots with dark, oblong, alternately arranged leaves appear. Each shoot develops on a petiole.
Leaves
The length of the leaf reaches about 15 cm, the width is about 10 cm. The surface of the leaf is smooth, dense, similar to leather. The lower part of the leaf plate is painted in light shades. A light stripe runs along the central vein. There are clear teeth on the edges of the sheet. The basal leaves are distinguished by their smaller size, lanceolate shape, and short petiole.
Shoots, flowers
At approximately 30 cm in height, the first shoot begins to develop. Here the stem bifurcates, making room for the appearance of a conical bud; the flower is formed in the form of a long cone, gradually turning into a large funnel with a diameter of up to 20 cm. It opens only in the dark (sometimes in cloudy weather) and lasts one night. The surrounding area is filled with an exotic smell. After a week, new flowers appear in the branching areas. The number of new flowers is constantly growing. General flowering occurs before the onset of autumn frosts.
Fetus
A spiny, oblong-shaped box of a dark green hue. Inside there are 4 compartments filled with kidney-shaped, black seeds about 4 mm long. Each box contains up to 800 seeds, which have the amazing ability to maintain excellent germination for decades. The first fruits appear on the bush in early July. In some varieties of dope, the capsules open when dry and the seeds fall onto the bed. To collect them in time, you need to use protective bags, for example, made of gauze.
Root
The branched tap root is located deep in the ground, reliably feeding the plant. It also has properties valuable for pharmacology.
Types, varieties of plants
The unpretentious flower grows well in different climatic conditions. It is suitable for tropical, subtropical, temperate climates. Flower growers know plants with double and semi-double bells of different shades. According to the classification of botanists, there are 13 types of dope. The following types are considered the main ones.
Datura stramonium
This species of Datura was first described by the famous scientist Carl Linnaeus, giving it a Latin name based on the meanings of the Greek words “nightshade” and “crazy.” Seeds of this species showed 90% germination after 40 years of storage. In Siberia, the Far East, and the southern regions of Russia, the white bells of a plant with a peculiar smell are well known. There are several forms of Datura common, including species with purple flowers. Some people call it blue datura. The fruits of the Datura stramonium Inermis plant do not have spines. It is popular among flower lovers.
Indian (Datura innoxia)
An ancient magical remedy for sleep, inducing hallucinations, visions, used by the Indians of Colombia and Mexico. Gray foliage, white flowers and unusually prickly fruits are characteristic of this species. The leaves of Datura dome do not have teeth along the edges. The flowers are larger in size compared to the common datura, which allows it to be planted as an ornamental shrub.
Indian (Datura metel )
In Asian countries, especially in India, this flower is endowed with divine power and special magical properties. Purple bells are often called the flower of Shiva. It is believed that a plant planted next to a home protects its owners from troubles and brings good luck to the house. There are many hybrid forms of the Ballerina variety. Among them are varieties of terry varieties with yellow flowers (Yellow Ballerina, Yellow Terry, Yellow Knight). Lilac plant species: Purple knight, Lilac terry. The simple snow-white flowers of the Medea, Evening Aroma, and Troubadour varieties are considered popular.
Datura ceratocaula
Shamans and Aztec priests communicated with the gods, higher powers, and the other world with the help of potions prepared from this type of plant, strewn with bells of an original shape.
This species is now recognized as a separate genus. The seeds of the plant are often sold under the name datura. Their difference is the flowers hanging to the ground. The datura has bells pointing upward. The fruits of all Brugmansia species do not have thorns or thorns. The perennial tree plant has differences in agrotechnical cultivation and care.
Planting a plant in the ground
The poisonous properties of the plant require careful selection of the planting site. Do not place Datura on flower beds located next to children's playgrounds. Beautiful flowers will not remain without their curious attention.
Datura grows on any type of soil, but preferably with a neutral and slightly alkaline reaction. Treating the beds with lime and dolomite flour helps get rid of excess acidity. The soil must be fertile and loose. The planting hole must be made at least 70 cm deep with drainage. In early June, prepared seedlings are planted. At the same time, they try not to disturb the earthen lump that supports the easily injured roots.
Experts advise not to bury seedlings. The distance between plants is maintained at about 80 cm.
In close plantings, Datura develops worse. An adult bush of the plant occupies a large space, covering areas with faded spring perennials (tulips, daffodils, hyacinths). It looks good in both single and group plantings. If you place Datura on a compost heap, it will look like a flowering flowerbed.
In areas with cool climates, Datura is often grown in containers, large pots, and tubs. In the fall they are moved to the veranda, greenhouse, balcony, or to another room. Continues to be grown as a perennial plant.
Landing Features
Datura herb is easy to grow from seedlings prepared from seeds or through rooted cuttings.
Datura is planted directly in the ground in the southern regions. Around mid-May, seeds are placed in holes to a depth of 5 cm. Shoots emerge slowly. Sometimes you have to wait up to 30 days. Dense plantings are thinned out. The first flowers appear within a month. In order for the mass flowering of datura to begin earlier, it is necessary to use seedling growing methods. In this case, you need to adhere to certain rules.
Seed cultivation
By the end of February, dope seeds are soaked for 3 days in warm water. The seeds germinate poorly. Therefore, experts advise adding a few drops of a drug that can stimulate growth. Seeds are laid out on a pre-prepared moistened mixture (2 parts fertile, weed-free soil, 1 part sand, 2 parts rotted organic matter) and lightly sprinkled with soil. Cover with film and place in a dimly lit place for a week. The temperature for seed germination is maintained at about 20 degrees. The soil in the container should always be moist.
When the seedlings germinate (after about 2 weeks), the containers are transferred to a bright windowsill. Tender plants are ventilated and watered. After opening 2 true leaves, the seedlings are planted in prepared containers. After reaching a height of about 15 cm, the seedlings are considered ready to be transferred to an open bed. It is best to use your own seeds for planting, taken from the strongest flowers on the bush. It is important to remember that seeds of hybrid varieties may lose their properties.
Cuttings
For cutting cuttings, choose strong, mature shoots. They should have approximately 3 knots. An incision is made in the stem under the last node, all leaves on the cutting are cut in half. The cuttings placed in the nutrient mixture of the pot are watered and covered with a transparent bag. Remove it after the first two leaves open (after 10 days). If cuttings are carried out at the end of September, then the seedling develops in the house all winter. With the onset of warmth, it is transferred to a permanent place in open ground. The plant blooms early.
Datura care
No special care is required for Datura. Flower growers consider datura a simple plant. The main requirement is daily watering of the plantings. The leaves on the bushes should not be allowed to wither; this will prevent the development of large bells. Their number will be minimal. Unopened buds may fall off. Datura grows quickly and needs feeding with mineral and organic fertilizers. Their use is combined with watering, fertilizing is carried out weekly.
Datura cannot withstand winter frosts in the middle zone and freezes. If a room with a temperature of about 15 degrees is prepared for keeping the plant, then take into account that in winter it is watered rarely and little. Higher winter temperatures lead to stretching, weakening of shoots, and falling leaves. It is recommended to remove winter buds. In spring, bushes need proper pruning.
Trimming
The need for proper pruning is associated with the peculiarities of the appearance of bud ovaries. Beautiful flowers are formed only on young shoots, born in the internodes. Removing faded bells effectively activates the appearance of new buds. The plant's energy will be spent on flowering, and not on ripening fruits. The crown of the bush is formed by cutting off old shoots that do not have young branches. At the same time, the lower trunks are not exposed, the bush retains its decorative qualities.
Pests, diseases
Gray rot develops in dense thickets. Weevils, spider mites, bugs, and whiteflies settle on the tops of bushes. The use of modern insecticidal preparations helps to quickly defeat pests.
Using the advice of experts, you can safely grow an ancient magical plant on your site, admiring its extraordinary evening beauty. If necessary, a flower from legends comes to the rescue to restore human health.
In contact with
It is reputed to be an exotic decoration for a garden plot. Its large white flowers look beautiful in many landscape compositions and, in addition, exude a unique aroma. But do not forget that this culture is very toxic! To ensure that growing datura in open ground does not become a problem, it is important to choose the appropriate variety, do the correct planting and provide the crop with proper care.
Description: varieties and varieties of datura grass
Datura is an annual shrub with shoots 1-1.5 m long in open ground. Grows more in width than in length. The plant is densely covered with green-gray foliage. The young bush in the photo resembles eggplant seedlings.
Common varieties of Datura:
- Common - huge leaves and snow-white flowers;
- Indian - purple-white buds;
- Indian is a vigorously growing shrub with white petals and an unpleasant aroma.
Common Datura
With proper care, Datura forms huge bells with a delicate aroma. They wither in less than a day. Flowering begins in early summer, becomes widespread only in August, and ends in October:
- First, Datura forms a shoot about 30 cm long.
- The shoot bifurcates and releases a bud. It gradually grows to 20-25 cm.
- After ripening, the bud quickly opens. The flower is a bell 15-20 cm in diameter.
- The color of the flowers is usually white, sometimes with cream, lemon and other pastel shades.
Attention! The bud opens at dusk literally before our eyes and lives until the end of the morning cool.
Datura: planting a plant
In the climate of the middle zone, the cultivation of datura grass is limited to frosty winters. Of course, you can practice maintaining and caring for a house for 5-6 months. However, an ordinary window sill is not suitable for growing: only a spacious part of the room, with an area of at least 1.5 square meters. m. Datura seedlings are planted in open ground. This happens in May.
Planting seeds for seedlings is carried out in March, but the soil is prepared in the fall. Substrate composition:
- 40% sifted soil from the garden;
- 40% humus;
- 20% coarse sand.
Pre-sort the seeds: place them in a container with hot water for several hours. Floated specimens are not suitable for planting. Moisten the soil in the seedling container and slightly deepen the seeds. Maintain room temperature and soil moisture, cover the pot with a sheet of plain paper and wait for germination in 2-3 weeks.
Datura seeds
After they appear:
- Move the container to a cool, bright place.
- Pick the plant after a pair of true leaves have formed. Planting in a new location is done at the height of the cotyledons.
- In open ground, even a compost or manure heap is perfect for Datura. The main thing is to choose a well-warmed, windless place for the plant on the site.
- Plant seedlings at intervals of at least 1 m. The width of the hole is 50 cm, the depth is 70 cm.
- Place a layer of drainage on the bottom.
- Datura flowering occurs 20-25 days after planting.
Attention! In warm regions, planting seeds directly into open ground is allowed. Their planting depth is up to 10 cm. Datura is also sometimes grown directly in containers. In the summer they are taken out into the air and buried on the site.
Datura care
The varieties of this crop are unpretentious in matters of irrigation, fertilizer, and care. In order for the flower to grow and develop normally, keep the soil loose and moist. You can periodically add wood ash. Water the dope 3-4 r. in Week. In dry summers it is possible more often. In winter, indoor watering is reduced to 1 r. in Week.
Advice. Use hard water for irrigation.
Only young shoots of Datura bloom. In the fall, all old ones should be pruned. In addition, this way you can form the crown of the bush. During active flowering, remove drooping buds.
Fertilizer and feeding of datura
Part of the plant care procedure is to maintain soil nutrition:
For active growth, dope needs fertilizing
- In spring and summer, before flowering, fertilize the datura once a week with organic matter in combination with mineral complexes (every week).
- In winter, the plant in the container does not need to be fed. If the soil is acidic, water it every spring with a lime solution: 1 g per 1 liter of water.
Advice. Granular mixtures for vegetables are often used as mineral fertilizer.
Plant propagation at home
In the case of datura, propagation by seeds or cuttings is used. To collect seed, remove the seed pods after the first flowers have faded. They should be placed in a dry and dark place for 2 months. Make sure that the box does not crack and the seeds do not fall into the ground. The shrub readily reproduces by self-sowing using this method.
To make cuttings, cut off part of the shoot with a couple of internodes. Further:
- shorten all large leaves by half;
- prepare light soil;
- soak the cutting in a root stimulator.
Advice. Propagation by cuttings is usually carried out in September or mid-March, with spring planting on the site.
Diseases and pests of datura grass
Since the plant is poisonous, most fungal infections and insect pests simply do not take root on it. Sometimes you can find whiteflies or spider mites on the leaves of the plant. Preventive spraying with Bordeaux mixture in May or June will help get rid of these pests. If signs of insect reproduction are already evident, treat the plant with a special fungicide.
Datura is very rarely attacked by pests
Externally, the datura may wither and look unhealthy if not properly cared for. For example, when growing in a cool or too shaded place, or improper watering.
Datura: combination with other plants
Datura creeping along the ground has excellent decorative properties. If there is a support, it can braid it, rising 1-2 m. The green corner will be pleasant to visit in the evening or show to friends in the photo. Datura of different varieties is used in flower beds to replace early flowering perennials in the composition.
A friend invited me to her summer cottage, where I saw a beautiful plant with huge white buds! It spread an incredible sweet aroma around itself! It turned out to be a datura. Seeing my admiring reaction, my friend gave me several seeds and shared with me the peculiarities of growing them.
Now this stunning plant blooms in my summer cottage every summer. In this article I will tell you how to prepare Datura seeds for planting at home, what the soil should be like for planting, and how to further care for this beautiful flower.
The datura flower is world-famous as Datura, since in ancient times sorcerers used its seeds to make a hallucinogenic drink, with the help of which they caused mass visions or turned a person into a zombie. And now from some of its species in pharmacology they make tablets for motion sickness, tinctures for radiculitis. Previously, anti-asthmatic cigarettes were made from it.
Since Datura is poisonous, it is grown with caution, especially if the family has pets or small children who can taste its leaves and buds.
In some varieties, the buds and leaves thin out such a sweetish and cloying aroma that the owners may get a headache. Therefore, a pot with it is not placed in the bedroom, as they bloom in the evening.
If in Russia it is specially grown to decorate summer cottages or premises, then in tropical countries it grows everywhere as a weed.
It cannot withstand winter, so every autumn perennial varieties are transplanted into a pot and transferred to a cool room. During this period, it sheds its leaves and stops blooming. All winter it is enough to water it lightly.
The most common buds are tubular (15 cm in diameter and 20 cm in length), in second place are terry ones, which are not inferior in diameter to tubular ones. There are different colors: purple, orange, white, yellow.
Caring for dope is not at all difficult; even a novice gardener can grow it without any problems if he follows simple rules.
Seed preparation
Datura seeds can be purchased in specialized stores or asked from the owners of these plants. Although it is believed that their seeds can be stored for up to ten years, not all of them are suitable for planting, so they must be checked. It's very easy to do. Pour water into a glass and add seeds:
- The good ones immediately sink to the bottom.
- The bad ones remain floating on the surface.
The latter are immediately thrown out, since nothing will sprout from them, because they are underdeveloped.
All selected seeds are soaked in warm water for about two days to make it easier for them to germinate. You can use a growth stimulator instead of water to make the seeds germinate earlier. Place the container with soaked seeds in a bright place, for example, on a sunny windowsill.
If the water has evaporated during the day, then it must be added. And it should not exceed the height of the grains. Before planting, all grains are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate for about half an hour so that they do not become infected with any fungal diseases.
If datura is grown to decorate summer cottages, then planting is done at the end of March. It is advisable to take into account that the first shoots sprout only 20 days after sowing. And usually several seeds are planted at once, since not all will be able to sprout.
Soil preparation and sowing
Datura loves fertile but light soil, like tomatoes and eggplants. If it is not possible to purchase such soil in a store, then you can make it yourself. To do this, mix regular soil from a summer cottage in equal parts, add humus and river sand. It is advisable that the sand is not fine.
The soil, if it is collected on the street and not purchased in a specialized store, is calcined in the oven to get rid of harmful bacteria and microorganisms that can destroy the datura at the germination stage. If there is no oven, then the entire soil can be treated with boiling water in which potassium permanganate is dissolved.
If the soil from the summer cottage is too heavy, then add a little chalk or crushed eggshells. For looseness, you can add a little sawdust.
To ensure that the grains germinate properly, follow these simple rules:
- Since datura roots grow long, choose a rectangular and deep box with drainage holes.
- The box is placed on a pallet and completely filled with soil.
- Water the entire soil thoroughly to ensure there is enough moisture for a long time.
- The seeds are evenly laid out on the surface of the soil at a distance of 3 cm from each other.
- Cover the top with dry soil no more than 1 centimeter thick.
- All this is dusted with fine wood ash, which will protect the sprouts from accidental fungi.
- The box is covered with waterproof transparent film or glass and placed on a sunny windowsill. The air temperature should be from 25 o C to 30 o C.
Next, you should be patient, as the grains germinate very slowly. It usually takes at least three weeks for the first leaf to appear. All this time you need to make sure that the soil is not dry. And moisten it very carefully, slightly opening the edge of the film or glass.
Only after the first shoots have hatched, the film is opened halfway, but not completely removed. After two days, the film or glass can be completely removed.
During active growth, Datura needs a lot of moisture, but it is not advisable to keep the upper part of the soil wet so that fungi do not multiply on it.
Therefore, they water by pouring liquid into a pan, from where the dope roots themselves absorb as much moisture as they need. If after six hours the moisture remains in the pan, then it is drained.
The most difficult thing in this matter is watering. To understand whether there is enough moisture in the box, you need to poke your finger into the ground to a depth of 1.5 cm; if the soil there is wet, then there is enough water.
Picking and transplanting
To make it easier to pick the sprouts, the seeds are planted 3 centimeters from each other. Nevertheless, picking the sprouts is mandatory. This procedure is performed when three true leaves grow on the sprouts.
If Datura is grown for open ground, then for temporary cultivation take a small pot with a diameter of at least 7 centimeters. There should be as many pots as there are sprouts.
They are filled with the same soil in which the seeds grew, then a small hole is made in the center of the pot, where, using a spatula, the sprout is carefully placed along with a lump of earth on the roots. The top is lightly covered with earth. Compacting is not recommended, otherwise the roots will not be able to access oxygen.
If datura is grown as an indoor flower, then take a large pot at once. A thick layer of drainage is poured onto its bottom. It may include such materials as: large pebbles, crushed stone, parts of brick, ceramics.
The same composition of soil that was on the seedlings is poured on top, but they are poured not to the very edge, but retreating from it by 5 centimeters. A hole is made in the center, where the sprout is carefully planted without removing the soil from its roots. As the plant grows, the soil needs to be replenished a little.
Datura does not like cramped conditions, so after some time she will have to be transplanted into a larger pot. Further care consists only of timely watering. It should be remembered that datura does not like overflow.
The plant is transplanted to open soil only when the weather is warm and no frost is expected. First, choose a place for it; it should be sunny and without drafts. The planting diameter should be at least a meter, since an adult plant takes up quite a lot of space.
Do not take the pot of Datura outside to harden before transplanting it directly. They are replanted together with soil from the pot, after which a little soil is added on top. If the summer turns out to be dry and hot, then it is recommended to water the flower additionally.
There are special annual flower varieties that can be planted directly in open soil. It is Indian and broom. They are usually planted in May-June. First, they dig up a plot of land, add complex fertilizers, after which they throw one grain at a decent distance from each other.
Cover all this with polypropylene fiber so that sudden frosts do not destroy them. This fiber will not only protect the sprouts from the cold, but also provide light, heat and oxygen.
The film is finally removed only when the air temperature remains above 25 o C for about a week and the sprouts already have more than three true leaves.
Bloom
The first bud blooms in the same summer, usually in July. If the grain is planted directly in open ground, then flowering will appear somewhere closer to August. But sprouts grown at home bloom earlier. In winter, indoor daturas do not bloom and sometimes shed their leaves.
If the trunks look healthy, then there is no need to worry, the plant has simply fallen into a dormant period. Usually comes to life in early March.
After the first fruit has grown on the plant, the flowers may bloom no earlier than a week after the last bud. Therefore, to speed up flowering, the first fruit is picked. But you can leave the second or third fruit, they will no longer affect flowering.
To prevent seeds from spilling out of the thorny fruit, it is tied with gauze. A completely dried and cracked shell of the fruit indicates its full ripening. In this case, the fruit can be cut, and these seeds will be useful for planting next spring.
Datura (also called datura) belongs to the Solanaceae family. It is an annual, unusually fast-growing plant with a straight, hollow inside stem, reaching a height of more than one hundred and ten centimeters. The leaves are very large, and if rubbed, they begin to emit an unpleasant odor. The Datura flower is large (up to twelve centimeters) in diameter, consists of five pointed, fused white petals with an intoxicating sweetish smell. Flowering lasts from June to October, with flowers blooming in the evening and fading very quickly. Datura flower has spiny fruits containing small blackish grains inside.
Place of distribution
Initially, Datura grew exclusively in Mexico and Northeast America. Recently, it can be found in the central part of Russia, in Southwestern Siberia, in the vast Caucasus and in Asia. This plant usually grows in landfills, near roads, in gardens and fields.
garden flowers
If the plant is planted in the garden, the Datura flower will certainly win sympathy with its beauty and intoxicating aroma. With generous watering, Datura will reach a height of three meters. In the shade it tends upward, in a spacious sunlit place, on the contrary, it spreads, reaching a height of no more than a meter. The Indian datura flower is incredibly beautiful; its white and purple double flowers will decorate the garden until frost. Each flower blooms for only two days, but a new one blooms to replace the faded one. In the evening, these garden flowers spread the most delicate intoxicating fragrance. Datura "troubadour" can reach about seventy centimeters in height by August, while daily blooming on each bush more than ten large snow-white flowers that have a pleasant but intoxicating aroma. Despite its beauty, all components of the plant are unusually poisonous, so it should not be planted near bedroom windows, and children should also be prevented from staying near it for long periods of time. Even animals avoid the flower, but the aroma, on the contrary, attracts many insects and bees.
Datura in folk medicine
For medicinal purposes, the leaves and tops of the flowering plant are stored only in sunny weather, and the seeds are collected from the fruits in the fall. Preparations containing dope leaves perfectly calm the central nervous system, reduce the secretory function of the glandular apparatus and are excellent antispasmodics. They are used as painkillers for pain in the stomach and intestines, and treat sea and air sickness. Datura leaves are indispensable for asthmatic bronchitis and asthma. The plant is used only in the form of tincture and extract, as well as in the form of smoking powder and anti-asthma cigarettes. Datura should not be used for medicinal purposes without consulting a doctor. Poisoning is expressed by an unpleasant feeling in the throat, tension and even paralysis. First aid in such a situation should be provided immediately.
Datura gained popularity due to its huge bell-shaped flowers, long flowering time and ease of care. Its name is justified not only by its strong intoxicating aroma, but also by the influence of all its parts on humans. Its roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seeds are poisonous, and were popularly called the “mad potion” due to the fact that ingestion of any part of the crop leads to hallucinations, delirium, madness and even memory loss. These plants were often used to poison unwanted people. Nevertheless, if treated correctly, Datura grass will become a wonderful decoration for any garden, delighting owners with flowers throughout the summer.
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You've certainly seen the perfect lawn in a movie, on an alley, or perhaps on your neighbor's lawn. Those who have ever tried to grow a green area on their site will no doubt say that it is a huge amount of work. The lawn requires careful planting, care, fertilization, and watering. However, only inexperienced gardeners think this way; professionals have long known about the innovative product - liquid lawn AquaGrazz.
Datura is a perennial from the nightshade family, but in garden landscaping most often only a young plant of the first year of life is used. It can reach a height of about 110-120 cm, has strong thick roots and smooth stems. The leaves are large, alternate, with jagged edges. When the leaf is rubbed, a strong specific aroma is felt. Single large snow-white flowers are located at the base of the leaves. They also have a strong intoxicating aroma. In artificially bred ornamental varieties, the flowers can be yellow, purple, pink, and sometimes purple.
When ripe, the flowers turn into a capsule fruit, which looks like a small green egg covered with spines. In the middle there are 5 to 8 hundred large black seeds, which ripen by October and are suitable for further propagation of the plant. It is believed that the birthplace of the culture is Asia, but now Datura is cultivated in many countries, and in Ukraine, the Caucasus and western Siberia it grows as a weed, filling ravines, vacant lots, trash cans and abandoned areas, preferring loose, rich and moist soils.
Growing
In recent years, Datura vulgare has become a very popular garden plant due to its ease of care and long, bright flowering. It's quite easy to grow. To do this, it is advisable to prepare the land for sowing in the fall by mixing sand, garden soil and humus in a ratio of 1:2:2. In the spring, pre-collected or purchased seeds should be sown in containers filled with the mixture; the first shoots will appear in 10-25 days. If it is necessary to speed up the process, it is recommended to fill the seeds with hot water before sowing, selecting only those remaining at the bottom for sowing.
It is recommended to pour a manganese solution into the tray of the container to protect the plants from fungi. Daily moderate watering is also important. In May-June, it is time to plant plants in flower beds every 1 meter, because an adult is distinguished by its height and spread, occupying a large area. An example of proper planting of Datura is shown in the photo. If desired, you can sow the seeds directly into open ground, but the plant will only be able to germinate from a depth of less than 9-10 cm.
You can also propagate using cuttings. To do this, at the beginning of autumn it is necessary to cut off the young shoots of the plant at a level between the 3rd and 4th node and root it in soil or water. With the arrival of spring, you can plant it directly in the ground, so the dope will grow faster and the first flower will bloom. As a rule, it begins to bloom 20-25 days after sowing.
Plant care
Datura prefers to grow in a bright, sunny place, protected from constant winds. It needs loose and well-fertilized soil. Watering is also very important; the properties of the water directly determine whether the flowers will be frequent, large and beautiful. Experts recommend using hard water for irrigation; if this is not available, you can use any water, but feed it once a year with lime milk.
The spring and summer months are a time of active growth; now the dope needs watering twice a day. It is necessary to regularly trim dead leaves and flowers to continue the active flowering phase. It is also recommended to remove all seed pods, saving only the fruits from the first flowers to ripen seeds for next year. At the beginning of growth it requires weeding and loosening, but after growth it creates dense shading around itself and weeds simply do not grow, which also makes caring for the dope tree easier.
In the fall, you should select and save the darkest, ripe seeds from the ripened fruits for next year. To collect seeds, it is recommended to put special containers-bags on the boxes, because the ripened fruit opens in the form of a tulip and the seeds are poured onto the ground to be scattered over the largest area.
If desired, it can be grown as a perennial plant, but since the flowers form exclusively on young shoots, it must be constantly pruned to maintain its beauty. To do this, in the fall, all the branches of the dope are cut off and the desired shape of the crown is formed. This flower not only looks very impressive, but also has a strong sweetish smell. Experienced gardeners use these properties to mask manure heaps and other unsightly and unpleasant-smelling places.
Types of Datura
Most often, the usual one is used for landscaping, but sometimes you can find more beautiful and unusual types of it:
- Datura (Datura stramonium) - has large whole leaves and funnel-shaped white flowers. An example of this popular and easy-to-care plant can be seen in the photo.
- Datura metel (Datura metel) – this species is distinguished by its large, showy flower. In accordance with the name, this species is most often found in India, where it is even considered sacred. The second local name for this plant is “Shiva’s flower.” This unusual and revered species can be seen in the photo.
- Indian Datura (Datura Innoxia) - chooses desert areas, where it grows into real thickets. It grows for one year and when flowering emits a strong unpleasant odor, but its flowers are very large and beautiful, usually placed separately on the forks of the plant’s shoots. It can be seen in the photo.
- Datura stramonium f. Inermis is especially loved because of its smooth wings and lack of thorns.
- Datura stramonium var. Tatula attracts gardeners with its unusually beautiful and spectacular blue-lilac flower color.
Application
Despite the fact that it is poisonous, when used correctly and in precise doses, Datura can be beneficial and even cure many diseases. Datura oil, obtained from its seeds, allows you to get rid of unwanted hair forever. To do this, you should first epilate, and then wipe clean skin with oil so that the product penetrates the skin pores and follicles. The oil can destroy and destroy hair follicles and unwanted vegetation will no longer appear in this area.
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