Practical
Plants

Datura stramonium

Thorn Apple

an annual member of the Datura genus in the family Solanaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Datura
Life cycle
annual
Height
1.5 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Moths
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Moths

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

All members of this genus contain narcotics and are very poisonous, even in small doses[7].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The thornapple is a bitter narcotic plant that relieves pain and encourages healing[12]. It has a long history of use as a herbal medicine, though it is very poisonous and should be used with extreme caution. The leaves, flowering tops and seeds are anodyne, antiasthmatic, antispasmodic, hallucinogenic, hypnotic, mydriatic and narcotic[1][18][21][22][2][9][19][3][12][13]. The seeds are the most active medicinally[18]. The plant is used internally in the treatment of asthma and Parkinson's disease, excess causes giddiness, dry mouth, hallucinations and coma[12]. Externally, it is used as a poultice or wash in the treatment of fistulas, abscesses wounds and severe neuralgia[12][17]. The use of this plant is subject to legal restrictions in some countries[12]. It should be used with extreme caution and only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner since all parts of the plant are very poisonous and the difference between a medicinal dose and a toxic dose is very small[9][10][12]. The leaves should be harvested when the plant is in full flower, they are then dried for later use[18]. The leaves can be used as a very powerful mind-altering drug, they contain hyoscyamine and atropine[10]. There are also traces of scopolamine, a potent cholinergic-blocking hallucinogen, which has been used to calm schizoid patients[10]. Atropine dilates the pupils and is used in eye surgery[11]. The leaves have been smoked as an antispasmodic in the treatment for asthma, though this practice is extremely dangerous[10][11]. The seeds are used in Tibetan medicine, they are said to have a bitter and acrid taste with a cooling and very poisonous potency[14]. Analgesic, anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory, they are used in the treatment of stomach and intestinal pain due to worm infestation, toothache and fever from inflammations[14]. The juice of the fruit is applied to the scalp to treat dandruff[15].

Product or use
Anodyne
Product or use
Anthelmintic
Product or use
Antiasthmatic
Product or use
Antidandruff
Product or use
Antiinflammatory
Product or use
Antispasmodic
Product or use
Hallucinogenic
Product or use
Hypnotic
Product or use
Mydriatic
Product or use
Narcotic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The growing plant is said to protect neighbouring plants from insects[5][6]. The juice of the fruits is applied to the scalp to cure dandruff and falling hair[15].

Product or use
Hair care
Product or use
Repellent

Environment

Range
Original habitat is obscure, it is found in many areas of the world, occasionally in S. Britain[4].
Habitat
Dry waste ground and amongst rubble or the ruins of old buildings[21][8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 7+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Sow the seed in individual pots in early spring in a greenhouse[7]. Put 3 or 4 seeds in each pot and thin if necessary to the best plant. The seed usually germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 15°c. Plant out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Especially in areas with hot summers, it is worthwhile trying a sowing outdoors in situ in mid to late spring.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most moderately good soils but prefers a rich light sandy soil or a calcareous loam, and an open sunny position[1][18][7]. Plants often self-sow when well sited[1]. The thornapple is cultivated commercially as a medicinal plant[20]. It can become a weed in suitable conditions and is subject to statutory control in some countries[12]. This species is extremely susceptible to the various viruses that afflict the potato family (Solanaceae), it can act as a centre of infection so should not be grown near potatoes or tomatoes[7]. Grows well with pumpkins[6]. The whole plant gives off a nauseating stench[16].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  2. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩

  3. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

  5. Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979-00-00

    ↩

  6. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

    ↩1↩2

  7. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Livingstone. B. Flora of Canada National Museums of Canada 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-660-00025-3

    ↩

  9. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩1↩2

  10. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  11. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2

  12. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  13. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  14. Tsarong. Tsewang. J. Tibetan Medicinal Plants Tibetan Medical Publications, India 1994-00-00 ISBN 81-900489-0-2

    ↩1↩2

  15. Medicinal Plants of Nepal Dept. of Medicinal Plants. Nepal. 1993-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  16. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

    ↩

  17. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩

  18. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  19. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  20. Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.

    ↩

  21. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2

  22. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩

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