Guide to growing garden plants - Datura (Trumpet flower, Jimsonweed)
Although members of the Datura genus are half hardy perennials they are normally grown in the garden as half hardy annuals.
They flower from the end of summer until autumn with trumpet shaped white flowers that are about 20cm long; the foliage is bluey; this makes Datura a very attractive plant.
Some of the common names for Datura include Trumpet flower, Floripondio, Jimsonweed, Angel's trumpet and Horn of plenty. Jimsonweed was used to treat epilepsy and is closely associated with witchcraft (it is a member of the nightshade family).
How to grow Trumpet flower (Datura)
The seeds of Datura should be sown at a depth of 3mm in a sunny area of the garden that has a moist soil. They should be sown outdoors after the last frost of spring. It is probably best to grow Trumpet flowers and other Datura members as seedlings indoors first. The growing process should be started about 10 weeks before they are due to be planted outside in the middle of spring. Trumpet flowers take about 3 to 6 weeks to germinate at a temperature of about 18 to 20 degrees centigrade. once established Trumpet flower should be transplanted at a spacing of about 8 to 9 cm.
Caring for Datura
If you are growing Datura as a perennial then it is important to keep the soil moist in water. The plants should make plenty of seeds so just leave in situ, and remove old plants or you may prefer to take cuttings from the side shoots of trumpet flowers.