Datura is the devil's herb

Translated from Latin "datura" means "dope", which is quite fair, because the plant contains alkaloids that cause delusions and hallucinations. Even Indian sorcerers, in the homeland of the plant in Mexico, used its narcotic effect to carry out their rituals, and called it "Devil's Grass".

But, despite its dangerous properties, this large and very original flower of the nightshade family is becoming more and more popular among gardeners today. Moreover, it is quite unpretentious, and you can grow it on your personal plot, right in the ground.

Flower care rules:

• In nature, datura is an annual plant, but in indoor conditions it lives longer than usual, only takes up a lot of space. She needs a spacious container with a volume of at least 10 liters.
• The place to plant the datura should be sunny, but protected from strong winds. In order for the plant to take root well, and the snow-white bell flowers adorn your garden all summer, filling it with a delicate pleasant aroma, plant a date at the end of May, leaving a distance between flowers at least one meter.
• Both garden and indoor datura are watered daily during the warm season. If the weather is too dry and hot, you can water it twice a day. Remember that the plant loves hard water, so it should be watered with lime mortar once a season. In winter, the amount of moisture is reduced for a flower growing at home.
• It is imperative to feed the plant every week, using a complex mineral fertilizer, in the proportion: 20 grams per 10 liters. Indoor flower, no need to feed in winter.
• As a rule, a houseplant is cut off. Do this in the fall, after the datura has completely faded. A garden plant needs to regularly remove wilted flowers.

Reproduction methods

Propagation by cuttings is used to preserve the flower variety you like. This is done in the usual way: at the beginning of autumn, a young shoot is cut off from the plant, and it is lowered into the water; a stalk that has taken root is planted in the soil; the date that has grown over the winter, at the end of May, is planted on a personal plot. Indoor plant, can be propagated by cuttings all year round.

Datura seeds ripen in two months, on the very first flowers, and to collect them, gauze bags are put on the fruits. Seed propagation is carried out in early March. Before planting, the seeds are poured with hot water, and those that have sunk to the bottom of the container are used. They are planted in loose soil, since they do not germinate very well, and they are placed in a warm place. After the seeds have sprout, the seedlings are transferred to a cool, bright room. In late spring, datura is planted in the garden.

Soil for room datura

The soil for a houseplant should be loose and breathable. Usually, a little peat is poured on the bottom of the container, then a light soil mixture from the earth with humus goes, and wood ash is on top. Soil with the same composition can be used for planting seeds and cuttings.