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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Non-native cannas in Sugar Land, TX
September 24, 2009 - I just planted some beautiful canna lilies along my fenceline (about 8 inches off the property line and 2 ft between each plant). My neighbor complained that they were going to go wild and sprout up o...
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Information about non-native Canaga odorata, ylang-ylang
July 10, 2008 - can you tell me the composition of canaga odarata or ylang-ylang flower? also, beneficial effects? it's for my science project..
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