Datura: say goodbye
The Datura inoxia that I've let grow in a crack in my driveway is now gone, removed as one of the first steps in my driveway cleanup before winter arrives.
If you haven't been following, I discovered this plant early this year and recognized its leaves. Not having planted any of these purposefully I let it grow, knowing that the potted specimen I had the year before produced some beautiful white flowers.
This one produced flowers too, dozens and dozens of them. Actually, it was more like 100 or so. How do I know? Early in the blooming season I was removing each spiky seed pod that formed (each bloom results in one prickly pod), but then I stopped being so diligent.
Although the blooms only last for a day, the plant -- which was about 6' (1.8 m) across and 4' (1.2 m) tall -- at one point had 15-20 blooms opening every day. The result is that there are lots and lots of seed pods, and they're starting to burst.
They're a little sneaky in that they don't "ripen" before being scattered like with many other plants. No, the green pods just one day split open, dropping the seeds. Only then do the pods start turning brown.
I collected seeds from several pods before I decided that it was time to remove this plant.
I did a quick count of pods and there were at least 100. That makes for a heavy plant, as I noticed while dragging this to the compost pile.
I'm definitely going to find a spot for this plant next year, but it's not going to be growing in my driveway crack again.
Actually, it will be growing there because a lot of seeds have already fallen, but I won't be letting the plants mature. At least that's what I'm saying now.
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I have seen some pretty nice flowering datura plants around but they need a big space. I had them one year-double purple. As much as I love the native one I think I have to pass.
I still chuckle when I think of this stunning plant growing in a crack in the driveway. Around here I see daturas growing wild in parched abandoned fields and in other non-cultivated places. While not native, they have become naturalized in some places.
I'm glad you have seeds for next year so you can have a few plants in a place of your choosing!
:: Bamboo and More ::
I love the photos of the seeds.
I let sunflowers grow in a crack last year. Had to stop them this year. They just blocked access too much. You should be able to get daturas to grow from seed fairly easily. Mine does come back too. It got really wide this year. So, pick a big space.
This is new to my garden and I just collected some seeds this fall. It must be tough, growing in the driveway!
I have never looked at these plants when they have pods, but i saw them with flowers. If it produce lots of pods and seeds it can be invasive in gardens not well maintained like ours. Maybe it is the reason when the tree in my neighbor is now cut, and i found a seedling further down the roadside maybe carried by runoff. I have long been contemplating if i will plant it or not!