Sacred Datura

Sacred datura (*Datura wrightii*) is a sprawling, short-lived perennial in the southern United States and an annual in colder northern climates. Its large white, trumpet-shaped flowers may be purple-tinted, open in the evening, and wilt by the following noon. ## Site and seasons Plant it in full sun and well-drained soil. It reaches about two to five feet tall and can spread three to six feet wide; allow space for its sprawling habit. Flowers appear from May through November, and the plant dies back in freezing weather. In warmer regions it may return from its tuberous root the next spring. [NC State Extension plant profile](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/datura-wrightii/) · [Kew Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/815620-1) ## Garden role and safety Use it in a spacious border, cottage or rock garden, or a nighttime garden where the evening-opening flowers can be enjoyed without crowding. Sphinx moths visit the blooms, and the plant is a host for Carolina sphinx moth larvae. All parts are poisonous if consumed, and the sap can irritate skin; keep it away from children and pets and use gloves and protective clothing when handling it. [NC State Extension plant profile](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/datura-wrightii/) ## Maintenance Let the foliage die back naturally after frost. Handle seed capsules and pruned material carefully, and wash tools and gloves after work.