Does anyone here know anything about growing Daturas?

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Last year one just came up from a stray seed in a pot on my deck. It looked interesting when it sprouted so I let it go until I knew what it was. I was pleasantly surprised when it turned into a beautiful triple yellow blooming beast. I finally got an ID on the plant and when it made it's seed balls I broke one open and sprinkled it on the surface of the pot to see if they'd come up the next year. It would appear they've ALL sprouted and the original mother plant is also still in residency in the same pot. Obviously it's going to get a bit crowded in there.

What I was wondering is if anyone here knows how they'll do if I put them in the ground? Do they transplant well? I've read they're poisonous and was also wondering if they may be dangerous around my pets?

[crispini]

1. Do your pets regularly eat plants?

I would definitely keep them away from datura. There's a reason they call it "devil's weed." :)

I'm not sure whether or not you would have specific difficulties transplanting it. I'd wait til the waning moon, best time to transplant. :D

[Lone_Star_Dem]

4. My dog doesn't eat anything that isn't blended anymore.

She's 17 and her teeth are worn down to nubbies. :( I was mostly wondering about my stray kitties that I'm trying to tame. To be honest the only thing I've ever seen them near is the catnip patch, and that only rarely.

Hmm, last night was the new moon wasn't it? That means I've missed the waning moon and will have to wait until the 23rd(?). That's actually perfect timing! It'll give them more time to get established and me a chance to prepare their bed. :D

[crispini]

7. 23rd is about right, I think.

Enjoy your daturas!

[japple]

2. I've got them growing all over my place and nothing will

touch them--not even insects. I have 4 cats and 1 dog, and they don't ever try to eat the darn things. I don't think anything will kill them except herbicide or digging them up and hauling the roots away (far away). I don't care for the plants, but they smell heavenly and it's lovely to walk outside on soft summer nights and smell their perfume.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

5. Sounds as if they can be invasive.

Thanks for the heads up on that. I'll keep that in mind when I'm deciding where to put them. :)

[Gato Moteado]

3. all nightshades are toxic....that includes tomatoes and peppers....

....but, that said, i've never heard of any pets eating datura plants or dying from them. the seeds are used as hallucinogens and when kids who don't know what they're doing ingest too many, they can get sick or die.

as long as you don't plan on eating the seeds (stick to mushrooms if you like to trip) then i think all will be fine. i grew daturas and brugmansias in my garden in austin tx and my dog never ate any of them. additionally i have tons of brugmansia growing on my properties here in costa rica and i don't find any dead animals around them.

as for transplanting, they're probably like any other plant. if you can carefully extract them from the pot they're in without doing any damage to the roots they should be fine.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. I didn't realize they were a nightshade.

That helps me to know what to expect as far as toxicity and the possibility of my animals eating them. Silver leaf nightshade grows wild here and all the animals leave it alone. It's invasive and a nuisance but a kind of pretty plant. I let it have a patch away from the other beds under a tree. For that matter I don't see many animals grazing on my potatoes or tomatoes either. Not even the rabbits or deer. I guess they can tell what's alright and what's likely to not agree with them.

I recall a kid I grew up with who used to eat his grandmother's morning glory seeds claiming they were a hallucinogenic. I guess it's a good thing his grandmother didn't grow any daturas.