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Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)

Jimsonweed Common Names: Jamestown weed, Mad apple, Moonflower, Stinkwort, Thornapple

Description: Used for its medicinal properties to treat asthma, though the plant is highly toxic and can be fatal. This species is listed under Regulation No. 715 - Seed Law Implementation as a restricted noxious weed by the Michigan Department of Agriculture.

Habit: Erect; summer annual; weed of agronomic crops; thick and extensively branched taproot system.

Leaves: Large, 3-8 in long, 6 in wide, ovate, hairless, long stout petioles, margins with a few large triangular teeth; leaves emit an unpleasant odor, especially when touched.

Stems: Very stout, hollow; smooth; branching; green or more often purple; inconspicuous hairs.

Flowers: Large, 2-5 in long, white to purple in color, funnel-shaped, individual flowers occur on short stalks (pedicels) that arise from leaf or branch axils, sepals enclose the lower part of the flower.

Fruit and seeds: An egg-shaped capsule (1-2 inches long), covered with stiff prickles, splits into 4 segments when mature.

Habitat: Native to Asia and Mexico. Found in disturbed areas, along roadsides, old fields, pastures, waste places; landscape as weed in gardens.

Reproduction: By seed.

Similar species: Species of Jimsonweed (Datura spp.) are all very similar.

Monitoring and rapid response: Burning, rotary hoeing or tillage; once established it is difficult to control; use any of several readily available general use herbicides for field crops.

Credits: The information provided in this factsheet was gathered from the USDA PLANTS Database and Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation VTree.

Individual species images that appear with a number in a black box are courtesy of the Bugwood.org network (http://www.invasive.org).Individual photo author credits may not be included due to the small display size of the images and subsequent difficulty of reading the provided text. All other images appear courtesy of Google (http://images.google.com).


Common Name:

Jimsonweed

Scientific Name:

Datura stramonium

Family:

Solanaceae
(Potato)

Duration:

Annual

Habit:

Herbs

USDA Symbol:

DAST