jimsonweed

Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium). Photo: Betty Marose

Updated: February 27, 2023

Life cycle

Summer annual

Growth habit

Erect, 2 to 4 ft. high, branching, leaves large, coarsely toothed, wavy margins, alternate; all parts have a strong, unpleasant odor and are poisonous

Reproduction

Seed pod the size of a walnut and covered with sharp spines; flowers large, funnel-shaped, lavender on purple-stemmed plants or white on green-stemmed plants

Conditions that favor growth

Primarily a weed of open fields or agronomic crops; found on all types of soil but prefers nutrient rich soils

Cultural control

Manual cultivation before flowering occurs and seeds form; maintain regular mowing in open areas to prevent flowering

 

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