HPIPM:Jimsonweed

Taxonomy

Domain	Eukarya
Kingdom	Plantae
Phylum	Magnoliophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida
Superorder	Asteranae
Order	Solanales
Family	Solanaceae
Genus	Datura

Scientific Name

Datura stramonium

Scientific Name Synonyms

Datura stramonium var. tatula

Common Name

jimsonweed

Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)

Compiled by Melissa Gravesand Marjolein Schat, Montana State University from the following sources:

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/jimsonweed/jimsonweed.html

http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/agriculture/lib/agriculture/plantindustryfiles/noxious_weed/jimson_weed.pdf

http://www.doitnow.org/pages/525.html

http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/datst.htm

Identification and Life Cycle

Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) is an annual weed in the potato family (Solanaceae). Other common names for jimsonweed include common thorn apple, devil’s apple, dewtry, mad apple, moon flower, devil’s trumpet, and moonflower. The stout stems are green or purple, hollow, smooth, branching, and have inconspicuous hairs. Stems can grow up to 5 feet tall. Leaves are ovate, green to purplish in color and are coarsely serrated along the edges. The leaves appear wavy, are 3 to 8 inches long, and have an unpleasant odor when bruised. The funnel shaped flowers are while or purple with a 5-pointed corolla up to 4 inches long. Flowers grow on short stalks in the axils of branches. The four-segmented seed pods are prickly and burst open at the tip causing the seeds to scatter. Seeds are black, pitted, and kidney shaped and are poisonous. Jimsonweed has a thick and extensively branched taproot.

Habitats

Jimsonweed can grow under a wide range of conditions, but does best in high nutrient soils. Jimsonweed is often found in pastures, fields, waste areas, cultivated areas, roadsides, and railroad right-of-ways.

Impacts

Jimsonweed competes with desired vegetation for water and nutrients. All parts of the plant are poisonous to humans and animals.

Biology and Ecology

Jimsonweed reproduces primarily from seed, although shoots can grow from cut stems. Germination occurs in late spring and early summer. Seeds require disturbed soil to germinate. Seedlings grow quickly and shade out surrounding vegetation. Flowers appear after the plant reaches the 6-8 leaf stage (from May to September), opening at dusk and closing again the following morning. Flowers are pollinated by hawk moths and bees. Under stress it can flower and set seed at just 4 inches tall. Seeds can be spread long distances in hay, chaff, and as a seed contaminant of summer crops. Plants can produce up to 30,000 seeds that remain viable in the soil for many years.

Management Approaches

As an annual plant with long lived seeds, management should be aimed at controlling jimsonweed before seed set occurs.

Biological Control

The threelined potato beetle Lema trivittata causes severe defoliation of jimsonweed and reduces seed production. The fungus Alternaria crassa has been tested as a potential biocontrol agent. In field studies the fungus gave 90% control of jimsonweed at the 2 to 4 leaf stage.

Mechanical and Cultural Control

Small patches can be hand pulled before flowering. If pulled after flowering plant material should be removed as seeds will ripen within capsules of cut plants. Tilling readily kills seedlings. Order plants may regenerate from cut stems.

Chemical Control

Consult herbicide labels for additional rate, application, and safety information. Additional herbicide information can be found at http://www.greenbook.net.

Due to constantly changing labels, laws and regulations, the sponsors of this web site assume no liability for the suggested use of any chemicals noted in the management section. Contact your local pest management personnel for current information on labeled pesticides that can be used for the intended plant disease, insect pest or weed.

References

For more information and images please visit IPM Bugwood: http://www.ipmimages.org/search/action.cfm?q=jimsonweed&Start=1&results=44