Jimsonweed – Datura stramonium - Plant & Pest Diagnostics

Jimsonweed plant with green spiny fruit.

Jimsonweed – Datura stramonium

Datura stramonium L.

Solanaceae (Nightshade family)

MI Status

Non-native

Life cycle

Erect, branching summer annual.

Leaves

Cotyledons are long and narrow with a prominent midvein. Leaves are alternate, oval to egg-shaped, 3 to 8 inches long, smooth with long petioles. First leaves are entire; later leaves have large, coarsely and unevenly toothed margins. Damaged leaves will emit a foul odor.

Stems

Erect and branching, up to 5-foot-tall stems are hollow, generally smooth, and green to purple. Damaged stems emit a foul odor.

Flowers and fruit

Flower petals are large, white to purple in color, and fused into a 2- to 5-inch-long tube. Fruits are very spiny, egg-shaped capsules with four valves. Each valve contains numerous flat, dark brown to black, round to kidney-shaped seeds.

Reproduction

Seeds.

Toxicity

All plant parts are toxic to animals.

Jimsonweed plant with alternate leaves that have large, coarsely and unevenly toothed margins. — Jimsonweed plant with large leaves

The photo is of a jimsonweed plant that has a green spiny fruit. — Jimsonweed fruit

Jimsonweed mature capsule opening to show numerous dark colored kidney shaped seeds. — Jimsonweed mature capsule

Jimsonweed leaf with large, coarsely and unevenly toothed margins. — Jimsonweed leaf

Jimsonweed seedling with long and narrow cotyledons. — Jimsonweed seedling

Accessibility Questions:

For questions about accessibility and/or if you need additional accommodations for a specific document, please send an email to ANR Communications & Marketing at anrcommunications@anr.msu.edu.

Plant & Pest Diagnostics