Native Plants
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Monday - September 26, 2005
From: Winchendon, MA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Non-Natives
Title: Non-native, invasive Datura sprouting from compost
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Hi, I have a plant growing out of some compost we purchased this spring and no one can tell me what it is. It's about 4 ft. tall, the stem is maroon like rhubarb and it produces 4-5 in. tubular light purple flowers with a long stamen. It only opens in the early morning and late afternoon and dies off the next day. It has no smell and produces an oval, very thorny seed pod. The leaves look like oak leaves streched long. Someone said it was an angel trumpet or a red pigroot, but it's neither. It's driving me crazy!! Can you please help me?!!! Thank You in advance.ANSWER:
This sounds like one of the Datura, probably Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium). It is an introduced species from Asia, but can be found in nearly every state of the U. S. Another non-native is D. metel, a native of India. D. wrightii is a very similar native North American species. These plants belong to the Family Solanaceae (Potato Family). Like many members of this family, Datura spp. are toxic but have been used in folk medicine for various ailments and have also been used as a psychotropic drug.More Non-Natives Questions
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Will non-native Star Jasmine survive outside in winter in Ohio
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Will non-native Alchemilla mollis grow in Georgetown, TX
April 02, 2011 - While living in Connecticut I had a favorite plant -- Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis). Any chance I could grow it in my new herbaceous border in Sun City Texas (Georgetown, TX)?
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Plants not native to North America in Hawaii
February 18, 2009 - Do not know if you have any experience for Hawaii but here it goes. I live on Maui and have some coco palms, a line of 12, two of them right next to each other (15-20 ft). They are a decent shade of ...
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