Buy Datura Trumpet Flower Seeds Online

Datura trumpet flowers are gorgeous, highly scented plants that would make a stunning display in your garden.

If you've never tried growing them, have a look here at the wonderful seeds you can buy online.

Datura is a member of the nightshade family (solanaceae) and is closely associated with the beautiful brugmansias, but they have recently been reclassified into two distinct genus groups.

The main difference between the two is that brugmansias form woody stems to make trees or shrubs and their trumpet flowers are pendulous.

Datura trumpet flowers are erect and spreading, and the plant is more compact.

However, people still tend to think of them both as being very similar, if not the same, and that is why the seeds of both are on display here.

Both daturas and brugmansias are highly poisonous, containing scopolamine, hyoscyamine and atropine, the combination of which can kill.

The Datura (Brugmansia) Trumpet Flower

I first met this beautiful datura flower here in Spain. I was walking down a country road and as I passed someone's garden I became aware of the most Heavenly scent. I looked over and there was this shrub covered in massive trumpet shaped pendulous flowers, that I had never seen before. Each flower was a good 12" long and just looked amazing. I snapped off a softwood cutting and smuggled it home with me (I lived in Scotland at the time). I searched the internet to identify it as a brugmansia, and rooted the cutting in my greenhouse.

When I eventually moved to Spain I gave that plant to my aunt who had a warm conservatory, where it still flowers.

I've since learned of course that brugmansias come in all different colors, and all have beautiful trumpet shaped flowers that have a glorious scent.

This part of Spain has a subtropical climate and so daturas (brugmansias) grow outside quite happily, but I have already proven they they can grow as a houseplant if given plenty of water and light.

The only thing I would caution is to keep brugmansias and their trumpet flowers out of reach of children and pets. They are not nicknamed "Hell's Bells" for nothing!

Some experience is recommended to grow these wonderful plants.

• grow angel trumpet flowers a sunny, sheltered spot in USDA zones 9 - 10, else indoors in a warm, bright area
• grows 10' - 15' tall (but can easily be pruned into shape)
• very highly scented flowers
• flowers 12" - 14" long
• fast growing
• feed well in summer
• flowers from summer through to first frosts
• can be overwintered in a shed or indoors

Now we come to the daturas and as you can see the flowers are erect and grow up the way, instead of hanging down like the Hell's Bells above.

Formerly known as "witches' weeds", the datura has a long history of use by witches in brews and potions.

The earliest mention of this plant in history is in 1662 and comes from the Hindu word dhatura meaning thorn apple.

What is incredibly interesting about the datura, and why it took a long time to identify it, is because it changes depending on its location. If grown in a boggy shady location it can grow as tall as a person, with magnificent big trumpet flowers and leaves, and if grown in a dry open location it can be a little straggly looking plant with small leaves and flowers.

Guess that tells us it prefers to grow in shady areas.

It grows the world over and is not especially fussed about either location or temperature.

In general, daturas will grow at much lower temperatures than brugmansias.

• Grows in USDA zone 7 - 11
• best treated as annuals in cooler climates, and as tender shrubs in warmer climates
• easy to grow reaches 3' - 6' depending on variety
• highly scented flowers
• flowers are highly poisonous
• prefers to be grown in full sun/part shade
• some varieties are low growing and spreading

STOP! 

If you've skipped the video, go back and watch it. It is really brilliant watching the datura moonflowers opening and glowing in the dark!