Jimsonweed

Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)

Report

Photo credit: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

Management Category

Synonyms

Common thorn apple
Devil’s trumpet

ID Characteristics

General: Member of the nightshade family (Solanaceae) with poisonous, medicinal, and hallucinogenic properties. Extensively used in traditional medicine.

Flowers: White, creamy to violet trumpet-shaped petals. The flowers are 6.5 – 9 cm long and rarely fully open. They emit a foul odour.

Stems: Dark purple stems grow erect, up to 1.5 m tall.

Leaves: The deep green leaves (5 – 25 cm long) are soft, broadly triangular, and coarsely toothed. The seedling leaves are egg-shaped. With age, the leaves develop an unpleasant smell. They grow on alternating sides of the stems.

Seeds: The brown egg-shaped seed capsules contain black D-shaped seeds (2.5 – 4 mm long).

Roots: Jimsonweed roots differ depending on the soil. They can be shallow and extensively branched, or form a stout and branched peg-like taproot with extensive stringy lateral roots.

Similar Species

Invasive:

Morning glory (Convolvulus spp.) is a perennial vine with white trumpet flowers, similar to jimsonweed. However, jimsonweed has an unpleasant smell, whilst morning glory smells sweet. Also, the petals on jimsonweed are more arrow-shaped, whereas morning glory has rounded petals.

Photo credit: Bruce Ackley, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

Native:

Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L) is an annual that grows to about 1.5 m tall. It has spiked seed pods and broad leaves like jimsonweed. However, Cocklebur leaves are coarse compared to the smooth leaves of jimsonweed. Also, cocklebur lacks the unpleasant smell of jimsonweed.

Habitat & Origin

Whilst the origin of jimsonweed is unclear, studies suggest it is likely native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. Jimsonweed was likely introduced to North America as an ornamental or by accident. It is currently present at a few sites in southern BC.

Jimsonweed is shade-intolerant and prefers well-drained soils, whether dry or moist. It is generally found in ornamental garden beds, dry waste ground or disturbed land (e.g., rubble around buildings, roadsides, agricultural lands etc.)

How it Spreads

Jimsonweed reproduces through seeds. Each plant can produce 1,300 – 3,000 seeds, which can stay viable in the soil for up to 39 years. Jimsonweed spreads through seed dispersal, often through bird droppings. Spread can also occur through soil disturbance as seeds can lay dormant for decades.

Impacts

Health:

Transmits pests and diseases
Poisonous to humans, livestock, and animals (contains toxic tropane alkaloids)

Ecological:

Aggressively outcompetes native species
Form dense monocultures

Economic:

Reduces crop yield by up to 45%
Reduce forage for grazers
Can contaminate crop seeds

Stop the Spread

Jimsonweed is not currently found throughout the Sea to Sky region. The goal is to prevent the spread of jimsonweed.

Learn to identify jimsonweed: Use the images presented on this profile page.

What to do if you spot it: You can report any jimsonweed sighting by visiting our reporting page.

DO:

Regularly monitor properties for weed infestations.
Ensure soil and gravel is uncontaminated before transport.
Quickly re-vegetating disturbed areas with fast-growing competitive, native plants can limit the growth of jimsonweed and is a fundamental tool to limit its spread.
Minimize soil disturbance in the area surrounding the infestation.
Ensure plants (particularly flowering heads or root fragments) are bagged or covered to prevent spread during transport to designated disposal sites (e.g. landfill).

DO NOT:

Plant jimsonweed in a garden, no matter how well-contained its enclosure may seem.
Move soil that has been contaminated with jimsonweed.
Unload, park, or store equipment or vehicles in infested areas; remove plant material from any equipment, vehicles, or clothing used in such areas and wash equipment and vehicles at designated cleaning sites before leaving infested areas.
Compost jimsonweed, especially the seeds!

Control

Mechanical Control

Small infestations can be hand-pulled before they set seed. Large infestations can be controlled by tillage at the seedling stage. Repeated cultivations might be necessary for plants that continue to re-emerge but this method does become less effective as plants mature (since the stems become woody and the roots may not be completely severed).

Chemical Control

Selective broadleaf annual weed control is effective, including dicamba. 2,4-D is only effective on immature plants.

We recommend that any herbicide application is carried out by a person holding a valid BC Pesticide Applicator Certificate. Before selecting and applying herbicides, you must review and follow herbicide labels and application rates; municipal, regional, provincial and federal laws and regulations; species-specific treatment recommendations, and site-specific goals and objectives.

Biological Control

There is no biocontrol available for this plant in Canada.