Sacred Datura
Datura grows wild throughout the Desert Southwest. Also known as Jimson Weed and “Georgia O’Keeffe’s Flower,” ranchers, among others, find it a noxious weed that can kill livestock. It has been used in rituals by some Native American groups. All parts of the plant are poisonous, and I did not grow it when children and outdoor pets were a concern. I bought my first plant at a nursery, and it has continued to reseed itself over the years.
In 2013 and 2014, caterpillars (sometimes called “hornworms;” they attack tomatoes also) of the sphinx moth really damaged my datura. This year, I have not yet seen one of these caterpillars, although I have seen several sphinx moths in the last week or so. I’m watching closely for any evidence of these caterpillars so I can remove them before they completely destroy a plant.
Although these flowers are beautiful, I find them challenging to photograph. They unfurl at dusk. At first light of dawn, they begin to droop. This photograph was made in the early morning of a cloudy, hazy day.
The seed pods are very interesting, and I expect to have images of those a little later.
