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The Corroboree
Stillman

Datura metel var fastuosa

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This is a very interesting plant, brilliant ornamental and historically powerful ethnobotanical tool in saying that ingesting of this plant is definitely not my cup of tea. But I am curious if many members are growing this coming summer? I was thinking about putting a few plants down and see if there is much flower variation? Maybe try and select for certain traits, size colour, doubles, triples ? Not sure how easy this is but I saw some very col pics of some really sharp purple flowers online.

ALso I attached some interesting historical references of the significance of the plant in certain parts of the world.

http://entheology.com/plants/datura-metel-datura/

http://psychotropia.co/?p=1128

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I got some seeds from a member a while back which were planted out ages ago but due to the season only got around a foot high. Each has had 2-3 flowers form though no seeds have formed, none of the flowers were at the same time though so it figures i guess. They are currently planted in an area affected by a water main leak as well so it is kind of a bog. I am thinking of getting my last few seeds into a nice sunny spot round the back.

put some photos down below, can't find the ones of the flower open. It is the same as this one.

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Love my Metels, sadly the only seed pod produced seems to be failing ....

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Love my Metels, sadly the only seed pod produced seems to be failing ....

 

By failing what do you mean? The only reason i ask is i had a 10cm D. Stramonium form a tiny pod producing 5 or 6 viable seeds.

edit: I found a picture just before it ripened. Still looks healthy but from here shriveled, dried and made babies.

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Edited by DarkSpark
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Stunning flower, I have recently been given some seeds by a very generous member, will try growing this year. I love Daturas but wouldn't ingest, being around them is enough to get me intoxicated! I'm going to grow mine on waste land to provide colour for everyone, will also harvest all pods to make sure they don't become weedy. I think I might whittle out the less interestingly flowered plants, should there be variation, I know this isn't selection for alkaloid content, but that's not really why I'm growing them.

The history of Datura use is extremely long and widespread, I think I would like to learn a bit more about how they were used in witches ointments, myself.

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I love Daturas but wouldn't ingest, being around them is enough to get me intoxicated! I'm going to grow mine on waste land to provide colour for everyone, will also harvest all pods to make sure they don't become weedy. I think I might whittle out the less interestingly flowered plants, should there be variation, I know this isn't selection for alkaloid content, but that's not really why I'm growing them.

 

Same with me, Ingestion has never crossed my mind. But after having grown Brugs, and some other small daturas to flower my interest in similar species, more particularly their flowers, has grown enormously.

I hope to be able to see some of your flowers down the track and possibly we can share some pollen and/or seeds :)

edit: on that note and in relation to my earlier post. Are D. Metel var. fastuosa able to self pollinate? i did a quick google to no avail in relation to D. metel but plently on D. Stramonium and others so i thought maybe someone on here might know.

Edited by DarkSpark
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I'm not sure if they are self fertile?

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hi!

you know how many people call brugmansias, datura?

well this datura, has managed to get it's revenge, as some people think, it's an engeltrumpet/ brugmansia!

have you seen, that new purple engels trumpet, they say...

well, the flowers are very, very big and beautifull. unfortunately, in oz, daturas don't have such a nice reputation as over seas.

i would blame this on people, the like as the c's from ch 7. paranoid wankers, in short.

i don't know if it's self fertile, but my extreemly vague guess is, yes. the reason why you might get no seeds, is that this plant is an extreemly hungry beast, so fert her proper and switch to more potash fert when she flowers.

some "wild" daturas, can turn into bonsai's, if struggling (not enough nutes) and still produce fruit and seeds, but this one maybe not. darksparks seedling pic, shows for example already, a serious nutrient deficancy.

Edited by planthelper
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Brugmansia flowers drape/hang downwards.Plant stem is woody.

Datura flowers present themselves upright/rigid.

Well this is what i believe.

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Datura metel v fastuosa is one of the most beautiful plants/blooms I've ever grown. They are simply captivating to look at; deep purple stem, huge buds, and spectacular flowers with a unique scent. I've never seen a more hypnotic plant. You can just sit and stare at it, as it has such a presence.

The nighttime scent of these are incredibly evocative - it's alluring, and bypasses all of the conscious mind's processes to hit some fundamental centre in the brain which, in an instant, takes one on a journey back to the ancient roots of humanity.

As per its use in traditional Chinese medicine (I believe), smoking a little bit of the dried flower can really help stimulate respiratory function. Particularly for people with asthma or other respiratory conditions, for a good couple of days after a little puff, one can notice improved respiration. Perhaps ironically, given its reputation, small amounts can also be very grounding.

Of course it's worth noting that any ingestion of datura can carry substantial risks, which are well documented. A quick net search about this will reveal some hair-raising stories.

As with everything in the world of psychoactive substances, knowledge and respect is key.

I should see if I still have some photos of some blooms from years back...

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datura metel fastuosa and chlorantha(yellow) are both self-fertile. As PH said, are like brugs and very fert hungry.

Also EXTREMLY susceptible to spider mites (and are much harder to spot than on brugs, and dont show the typical 'webbing' of mite infestations until its too late :(

I will be putting several Daturas down this coming season, and have been overwintering my brugs like crazy, and have my first ever fruit forming on my Candida X Flora Penna. They are self sterile, so considering only my sacred sunset was out at the same time, that must be the daddy. Im hoping for some double throated sunset look alikes :D

Just discovered a whitefly infestation in them tonight, so tomrorow morning will see the neem, detergent water, garlic and ghost peppers, and boiled N. rusticia and sticky pads come out. No holding back against these little bastards!

As Mr Caapi said...brug hang...datura throw towards the sky,

Some datura porn in the meantime!

 

Datura metel var Chlorantha4.JPG

 

Datura metel var Chlorantha6.JPG

Edited by 2Deep2Handle
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Also EXTREMLY susceptible to spider mites

Shit, I had completely forgotten about this. Nightmare. Once they move in they are very difficult to get rid of. A few years back when I had a nice d.metel growing, I would gently rub the underside of the leaves to mash the mites and my fingers would come away stained reddish.

Rubbing the leaves would also release this distinct peanut-like odour. It's all coming back to me now...

During one season which was particularly bad (back when it was still hot and very dry in Melbourne summer), if I didn't rub the leaves regularly and neglected the plants, a fine cobweb material would end up covering the plant.

Spider mites and fungus gnats - two things that made my plant-life very frustrating :BANGHEAD2:

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I'm looking forward to having a go growing some seed generously given away by a member here. All these beautiful photos and stories have me excited!

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I got some seeds from a member a while back which were planted out ages ago but due to the season only got around a foot high. Each has had 2-3 flowers form though no seeds have formed, none of the flowers were at the same time though so it figures i guess. They are currently planted in an area affected by a water main leak as well so it is kind of a bog. I am thinking of getting my last few seeds into a nice sunny spot round the back.

 

Hey DS, you sent me some of those seeds a while back too.

I have 4 of them starting to flower (in a hothouse) so hopefully i can return the favour soon and top up your seed supply (if in fact they set seeds, fingers crossed))

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spider mite is the pest, i hate the most, and most of you would agree.

but, i say, what i said often before, there is a true conection between, how well a plant is fed and the spider mite and other pests!!

in short, a well nurtured datura, which is exposed to the rains, will never die of mites, but a starving plant, kept shelterd, can easely subcume to this pest.

leave the pot outdoors, and only put it in your favorite spot (the favorite spot is where everybody can see the plant, but it probably is a bad spot regarding the wellbeeing of the plant) when it's in full bloom.

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Has anybody used datura to aid in astral projection? If so, how did you go?

Edited by klip247

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Hey, I grew one of these. It took a year or so to flower then died off in the winter and I just left it, thinking it was dead, but then after ages it regrew from the stump and flowered again and this time set seed. I got about 35 seeds from the 2 pods. If anyone wants some I don't mind sharing them.

Here's a picture from the first time it flowered.

http://i.imgur.com/Q3sbG.jpg

Edit.. it's just died off again now at the start of this winter but I'm not sure if it's going to come back again this time. I'll wait and see though.

I also just remembered that I had a second one of them which since I thought it had died the first time they died back I pulled up and I ground up the root of it and it's got this really fragrant smell.

Edited by silvesterdrinkthebeers
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one little seedling has popped its head up, and looking nice and strong. For a while there I din't think i was gonna get any up. Took about 3 weeks in controlled heat and light environment.

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Stillman your not alone, ive got a few in my growbox with heat, still waiting for them to sprout, its been over 2 weeks.

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yep those seeds from Mattooky

Edited by Stillman

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Datura innoxia:

u6m82.jpg

Datura metel:

2hdz7k0.jpg

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Hey DS, you sent me some of those seeds a while back too.

I have 4 of them starting to flower (in a hothouse) so hopefully i can return the favour soon and top up your seed supply (if in fact they set seeds, fingers crossed))

 

Hey i actually found some seeds at a local ladies house when i went to pick up some brugs not long ago. but keep in touch. mine have just started growing again as well which is good. She calls all of her brugs Datura, i tried to correct her but she wouldn't have a bar of it.

PH do you mean they had already bread a purple brugmansia :'( that was going to be my dream to attempt PH altering on a brug flower to pollenate with a D. Metel and vice versa but if someone else has already it defeats the purpose :'(

oh wait no i get it you mean that people are confusing it due to their impropper naming. In that case full steam ahead with breeding a purple brug

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PH do you mean they had already bread a purple brugmansia :'( that was going to be my dream to attempt PH altering on a brug flower to pollenate with a D. Metel and vice versa but if someone else has already it defeats the purpose :'(

oh wait no i get it you mean that people are confusing it due to their impropper naming. In that case full steam ahead with breeding a purple brug

 

hi, darkspark!

yep, what you just said in your last line, but i'm sure in the future, people will splice datura and brugmansias.

just had my 1st beer after a serious break from alc, geee i'm sooo lucky my dad loved nature and mom loved plants.....

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