One of those local “roadside plants,” Sacred Datura (also known as Toluaca) is among the most robust of that group of native species that persist in even the most bombed out, urban environments. This resilience makes it an excellent choice for gardeners wanting to limit their water use. Once established, you’ll never have to expend another drop, guaranteed. (A thick and deeply rooting, fleshy tuber is the reason.)
Above ground, you can expect a flush of blue-green, ground-hugging, leafy growth and huge, creamy-white, Georgia O’Keefe-ish trumpet flowers in late spring, some of which can be tinged with a hint of purple or yellow around the edges. (A wide variety of pollinators seem to love getting lost inside the cavernous blossoms.) The end of blooming is followed by substantial die-back by the end of summer, but the plant will resuscitate once the weather cools down and it gets a little rain.
Sacred Datura’s psychoactive properties are well known and the effect of ingesting any part of this toxic plant are said to be extremely unpleasant, so psychonauts, be forewarned.
In all, a plant often taken for granted, more than worth a second look for its beauty, “drought-tolerance” and habitat value.
