List of Datura Species

I compiled this list last year. I thought you might like to see it.

The following was taken directly from the book by Ulrike and Hans-Georg Preissel, Brugmansia and Datura, Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples and credit should be given to them for this information.

Datura stramonium (funnel-shaped small flowers with five sharp peaks; flowers are white- to creamy-colored or violet)
Datura stramonium var stramonium
Datura stramonium var stramonium f. stramonium
Datura stramonium var stramonium f. labilis
Datura stramonium var inermis
Datura stramonium var tatula
Datura stramonium var tatula f. tatula (has violet coloring in the center of the flower corolla)
Datura stramonium var tatula f. bernhardii
Datura stramonium var godronii

Datura ferox (five-peak small 2- to 2 1/2-inch flower of yellowish white; the flower usually does not open completely)

Datura quercifolia (oak-like foliage leaves; unremarkable small violet flowers with five short peaks; the flowers do not open completely)

Datura inoxia (flowers measure four inches across, are funnel-shaped, and are pure white; greenish veins end in five longer peaks)

Datura wrightii (flowers measure five inches across and are five to nine inches long; the upper section is usually violet to pale violet and have five peaks)

Datura ceratocaula (10-peak flower with inner sides of white to violet-pink and outersides have a bluish coloring.)

Datura discolor (One of the largest of the datura flowers; ten-peak flower with white upper section and a dark ring-shaped color of pale to dark violet in the center)

Datura metel (flowers are white or yellow or violet to red; fruits have conical humps)
Datura metel var metel (flowers are simple, white and double)
Datura metel var muricata (white flowers)
Datura metel var chlorantha (yellow flowers)
Datura metel var rubra (single flowers)
Datura metel var rubra f. rubra (single violet flowers)
Datura metel var rubra f. sanguinea (single red flowers)
Datura metel var obscura (flowers are single, violet or red)
Datura metel var obscura f. obscura (single violet)
Datura metel var obscura f. atropurpurea (single red)
Datura metel var fastuosa (outer portion of flowers are violet or red; inner portion is white)
Datura metel var fastuosa f. fastuosa (outer portion of flowers is violet)
Datura metel var fastuosa f. malabarica (outer portion is red)

Datura leichhardtii (ten-peaked small inconspicuous yellowish white flower, which do not open completely)
Datura leichhardtii ssp. pruninosa
Datura leichhardtii ssp. leichhardtii


Classification Key:
sec. = sectio, section
ssp. = sub-species
var = varietas, variety
f. = forma, form

Here are some of my pictures from last year.

Datura Inoxia:

Datura wrightii:

Datura stramonium var tatula:

Datura metel var chlorantha

Datura metel var fastuosa

Beautiful!! Thank you so much for all the Great information and beautiful pix!!!

Judy

Datura metel var rubra

Datura stramonium var tatula

Sure, Judy. I hope it proves helpful for people trying to figure out what their Daturas are. I think most of the cultivars are one of the Datura metels.

Datura wrightii

Datura inoxia:

nice info, thanks for sharing, and you have some lovely flowers!

Yes they are beautiful!!!

Thanks again

Judy

oh wow i just love the yellow one!!! great pics

Bumping this great thread up.

Judy

Thanks, Everyone!

now where do we find seeds from as i would love to have a few that are different.

Seeds are plentiful of the Datura metel var. chlorantha (double/triple yellow) and Datura metel var. fastuosa (double/triple purple) and Datura wrightii and Datura inoxia and Datura stramonium. However, the others are harder to find quite frankly because they are not commerically appealing because the flower size is small, etc. or because they are rare.

Hi Clare,
what is the soil composition you use. Like compost, composted manure, etc?
Rj

Rj, I grow Daturas in containers, and I just use regular potting soil, but Daturas will have a problem if the roots sit in wet soil. They like really good drainage and often do best if they are a little rootbound. They are heavy feeders and need fertilizer to bloom well, but I wouldn't use compost or composted manure in containers because they contain too many gases. If the compost or composted manure is mixed into the topsoil, then they should be fine for Daturas.

This is great info! Thanks so much Clare. Hopefully when my "white" blooms I will be able to ID it from your pictures.

Sure, Shelly. Your white is either Datura wrightii or Datura inoxia, and you should know that it is very difficult to tell the two apart. I have difficulty telling the two apart myself sometimes. The main difference lies in the peaks, and there are some other subtle differences as well. Both are beautiful and both are fragrant. Here's a link which attempts to distinguish them: http://www.americanbrugmansia-daturasociety.org/datura_inoxia.htm Dr. Preissel's book also attempts to distinguish them.

Oh my! They sure do look alike! Thanks for the link! As long as it smells good, its ALL ok LOL.

Shelly, they both smell like heaven:-)

Okay. The leaves on yours looks so much better than mine. Do you feed them miracle grow? Thanks alot for the tip. I didn't know that about the wet. I may have mine too damp. Mine are all in pots except the currant swirls. I think the heat here must play a roll as well. I have my swirls in the ground and they are about 6 fee tall. They stop blooming when the temp hits 90 on a daily basis. When it cools down in Oct, they will start blooming again. I have a couple of double cream ones that are root bound, but they're leaves are scrawny. They are also very tall, about 4 feet in a pot. I was wondering if they like more acidic fertilizer?
If you don't mind, I will take a picture of the tops of the double cream and see what you think.
Many thanks again.
Rj

I just got my new Brugmansias and Datura book in the mail! Checking it out now. Hmmm...thinking repotting is in order with better drainage. Rj

This message was edited Jun 17, 2005 3:28 PM

Rj,

Daturas will grow as big as the root system will allow. Confining the root system will confine growth so, if you want more compact daturas, grow them in a container that crowds the roots.

The leaves of the Datura stramonium var tatula are indeed large, and there are varients which have smaller leaves as well. The Datura stramonium in the picture above does happen to have large leaves.

Yes, I do feed my Daturas and all my heavy feeders Miracle Grow, and I also feed them with a Bloombooster/Bloombuilder formula, which has a high middle number (phosphorus) such as 10-52-10. Both Miracle Grow and Schultz makes a Bloombooster/Bloombuilder formulas, and some other companies do too.

I don't think they prefer acidic fertilizer, which has a high nitrogen number, but I could be wrong. Plants which prefer acidic are gardenias, azaleas, magnolias, etc.

Daturas do quite well in part sun. You could move your containers to a part sun area, which may be cooler, and that may help to continue blooming in the heat.

Did you get Dr. Preissel's book? You will love it!

Wow, Thanks for the info. I will put that to practice. Yes I did get that book, and I'm writing notes all over it already. Always so much to learn!
Rj

bump

good idea, thanks Judy!

what does bump mean? Rj

Means to bring this thread back to the top of the list for something you want everyone to see.

Okay...thanks.
rj

Clare, I just realized I have BR61 that I feed the plumerias. I'm going to give that a try on the dats. I didn't have that when this thread started out. Glad I re-read it! or rather Bump! Rj

LOL, Rj! Good idea!

I didn't realize there were so many datura varieties. I too would like to know where to get seed for these varieties. I have not seen most of the varieties listed available for sale anywhere. After being on this forum for only a month, I think I'm hooked.

Kathyvm, most of the desirable varieties -- Datura metel, Datura wrightii, Datura inoxia, and Datura stramonium -- are commerically circulated, and seeds are easy to come by. The ones that are not desirable -- due to flower size, fragrance, growth habit, etc. -- aren't sold commercially and are hard to find.

kathy :) don't worry, I plan on stuffing your envie full of goodies when I send it, you will have your hearts desire!!

My wrightii or inoxia (whichever it is) bloomed a couple blooms. It smelled wonderful! The 1st thing I thought of was a spicey lemony smell. The bees (which I havent seen one for a very long time) LOVED them! I couldnt help but wonder what the honey would taste like if you were to give the bees a field of these.