Datura stramonium (Jimsonweed)

Native to the Americas, this small plant reaches 2-5 feet in height and produces an abundance of fragrant, trumpet-shaped white to off-white or pink flowers.

Datura stramonium (Jimsonweed) makes a great addition to a moon or night garden. It prefers partial sun or semi-shade, and needs moderately moist soil to thrive. Water deeply and thoroughly every week or two. To help protect it in cold regions, it can be grown in a pot and brought inside in winter. It is easy to propagate from seed or from root divisions. The plant can be grown from seed indoors in the early spring, and then transplanted outside when the weather warms up.

Jimsonweed is an ethnomedical plant, used for centuries in traditional medicine. It is poisonous and toxic, but the alkaloids contained in the plant are valuable for the treatment of certain medical conditions. Care must be taken when harvesting and using the plant as medicine.

This plant also attracts a wide variety of wildlife, including butterflies and hummingbirds. Jimsonweed is hardy in USDA Zones 9-11 and blooms from midsummer to autumn. It's a great addition to any garden, providing its toxic nature is taken into account.