Vegetation Around Las Vegas, Jimson Weed (Datura wrightii)

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Jimson Weed (Datura wrightii)
Perennial Forbs Around Las Vegas, Vegetation Around Las Vegas

Jimson Weed: dark green mounds along the shoulder of a desert highway

General: Jimson Weed (Datura wrightii), or Datura, is a rounded, dark green shrub-like perennial forb. The leaves are large and dark green, the flowers are large, white trumpets, and the fruit is a thorny apple. The flowers which are pollinated by moths and beetles, open in the afternoon and evening, then wilt the following day.

Jimson Weed is a fairly common component of vegetation communities in the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) and Upper Sonoran (Mojave Desert Scrub) life zones. Watch for it along roadsides.

Jimson Weed is toxic -- don't mess with it.

Family: Nightshade (Solenaceae).

Other Names: Datura, thorn-apple, sacred datura.

Flowers large, trumpet shaped

Plant Form: Rounded shrub.

Height: Usually about 2-3 feet high.

Stems: Many branched branches.

Leaves: Oval, usually simple, to about 7 inches long and 4 inches wide.

Flowers: Blooms spring to fall. Inflorescence: solitary flowers from branch forks. Flowers large, trumpet shaped.

Seeds: Fruit a hard, spiky, apple-sized capsule. Seeds inside the capsule look a bit like stacked corn kernels.

Developing fruit

Habitat: Sand and gravel areas, roadsides where shrubs are graded away.

Elevation: Below about 7,000 ft.

Distribution: California to Utah, and south into Mexico.

Comments: Jimson Weed is toxic -- don't mess with it.

Jimson Weed: dark green mounds along a gravel road	Rounded plant with large, dark green leaves



Leaf dorsal surface: broad, thick leaves	Leaf ventral surface: broad, thick leaves

Jimson Weed fresh and spent flowers	Jimson Weed fresh flower
Jimson Weed fresh flower base	Jimson Weed fresh flower tip (flowers emerge rolled up)
Jimson Weed entire plant	Jimson Weed entire plant
Broad, thick leaves	Jimson Weed with buds and flowers
Long, tubular flowers	Tubular flower


Developing fruit	Developing fruit
Fruit: seed pod with spiny exterior	Fruit: seed pod with spiny exterior
During winter, the plant dies back, but the roots can remain alive	Dried, ripe fruit
Dried, ripe fruit	Dried, ripe fruit showing seeds inside
As expected for a perennial, plant re-sprouting from roots	As expected for a perennial, plant re-sprouting from roots

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate. Names generally follow the USDA database.
; Last updated 240621

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