Datura wrightii Regel

Angel’s trumpet, sacred thorn-apple, sacred datura, western jimson weed, belladonna, toloache, Jimsonweed, thorn-apple, angel trumpet

About plant names...

Although native to Mexico and the southwestern United States, angel's trumpet is found through much of North America now.

Identification: Angel's trumpet grows in bushes 24-48" (60-121 cm) high, with grayish-green stems coated with fine hairs. Leaves are alternate, 6" (15 cm) × 4" (10 cm), with smooth margins. The leaves have the unusual property that they are not symmetric at the base— one side is somewhat larger than the other. Flowers are 5-9" (12-22 cm) long, trumpet-shaped, and white, cream-colored, or purplish. The fragrant flowers have several segments, with small points at the edges between them. Fruits are prickly, about 1" (2.5 cm) across.

Edibility: Poisonous Datura contains several poisonous alkaloids that can cause temporary blindness, respiratory depression, seizures, high fevers, and hallucinations. It has been used by some North American native cultures for religious purposes, and more recently, by some as a recreational hallucinogenic. But the effective dosage is dangerously close to the fatal dosage, and panic following temporary blindness causes many injuries as well. See the description of the closely related species D. stramonium for more information.

8/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 14 × 9" (35 × 23 cm) ID is uncertain

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 10 × 6" (24 × 16 cm)

9/1/2014 · New Mex­ico
≈ 11 × 9" (26 × 22 cm)

These varieties of Datura have similar ranges and psychoactive effects, and they are often confused:

	Datura stramonium	You are here Datura wrightii
Common Name	Jimson weed	angel’s trumpet
Plant	This non-woody bush grows to 3-5' (91-152 cm) in height, with stiff, hollow stems that are green or purple. Plant is malodorous.	Angel's trumpet grows in bushes 24-48" (60-121 cm) high, with grayish-green stems coated with fine hairs.
Flowers	Flowers are smaller, 2½-5" (6.3-12 cm) × 1-2" (2.5-5 cm), trumpet-shaped, fragrant, white, cream-colored, purple, or white with a purple center. They usually open only partially, unfurling to produce a spiral, pinwheel-like effect.	Large, 5-9" (12-22 cm) long, fragrant, trumpet-shaped, and white, cream-colored, or purplish. They have several segments, with small points at the edges between them.
Leaves	Toothed, wrinkly leaves are 3-8" (7.6-20 cm) × 1-6" (2.5-15 cm), mostly hairless.	Alternate, 6" (15 cm) × 4" (10 cm), with smooth margins and sometimes slightly wavy edges. The leaves have the unusual property that they are not symmetric at the base— one side is somewhat larger than the other. Leaf undersides have fine hairs.
Fruit	Densely thorny egg-shaped capsule 1" (2.5 cm) in diameter, consisting of four segments, and containing many dark brown or black seeds.	Prickly, about 1" (2.5 cm) across.
Range/ Zones
Habitats		Coastal sage scrub, valley grasslands, joshua tree woods, pinyon-juniper woods
Type	Wild	Wild

References:

Rätsch, Cristian, The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and its Applications, Park Street Press, 1998, p. 214

Online References:

Wildflowers, Ferns & Trees of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah

Wikipedia

Southeastern Arizona Wildflowers and the Plants of the Sonoran Desert

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

George and Audrey DeLange's Arizona wildflower site

Illinois Wildflowers

Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

CalPhotos

SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 10 × 8" (24 × 20 cm)

8/27/2014 · Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center, New Mex­ico
≈ 3½ × 2½' (1.2 × 0.8 m)

4/30/2018 · Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia
≈ 8 × 12" (20 × 31 cm)

8/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 9 × 6" (22 × 15 cm) ID is uncertain

6/14/2008 · Stan & Connie’s, Falmouth, Maine
≈ 16 × 11" (40 × 26 cm) ID is uncertain

8/27/2014 · Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center, New Mex­ico
≈ 12 × 8" (30 × 21 cm)

9/1/2014 · New Mex­ico
≈ 9 × 8" (22 × 21 cm)

4/30/2018 · Kelbaker Road, Mojave National Preserve, Cali­fornia
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 20 cm)

5/31/2009 · Marble Canyon, Ari­zona
≈ 5½ × 5' (1.8 × 1.5 m) ID is uncertain

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 8 × 5" (20 × 13 cm)

4/29/2018 · Willow Spring Picnic Area, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 8 × 12" (20 × 31 cm)

9/1/2014 · New Mex­ico
≈ 10 × 11" (25 × 28 cm)

Datura wrightii description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Sep 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.

5/31/2009 · Marble Canyon, Ari­zona
≈ 11 × 7" (27 × 18 cm) ID is uncertain

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 8 × 12" (20 × 31 cm)

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 10 × 6" (24 × 16 cm)

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 7 × 4½" (18 × 12 cm)

9/1/2014 · New Mex­ico
≈ 24 × 16" (59 × 39 cm)

9/1/2014 · New Mex­ico
≈ 21 × 31" (53 × 79 cm)

6/14/2008 · Stan & Connie’s, Falmouth, Maine
≈ 26 × 17" (65 × 43 cm) ID is uncertain

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 10 × 6" (24 × 16 cm)

4/29/2018 · Red Spring Calico Basin, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 20 × 14" (51 × 36 cm)

5/31/2009 · Marble Canyon, Ari­zona
≈ 18 × 12" (45 × 30 cm) ID is uncertain

4/29/2018 · Willow Spring Picnic Area, Red Rock Canyon, Nevada
≈ 23 × 21" (59 × 52 cm)

8/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, near Nashoba Hospital, Ayer, Mass­a­chu­setts
≈ 12 × 8" (31 × 21 cm) ID is uncertain

5/2/2018 · Pinto Basin Road, Joshua Tree National Park, Cali­fornia
≈ 8 × 5" (20 × 13 cm)

8/27/2014 · Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center, New Mex­ico
≈ 4 × 2½' (1.2 × 0.8 m)

Range:

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