Grow devil's trumpet in full sun and soil that drains. Devil's trumpet is Datura. If the flowers hang down, you have angel's trumpet, a different plant. All parts are toxic if eaten; wear gloves when you handle leaves, pods, or seed.
Give it full sun and soil that drains
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Full sun; a little afternoon shade is fine | Do not site it in deep shade that thins bloom |
| Soil | Average to rich loam, sand, or clay that drains | Do not leave the roots in standing water |
| Water | Even moisture while the plant is new; then water in a long drought | Do not let a new plant dry out the first summer |
| Size | About 3 to 5 feet tall and as wide; give it room to sprawl | Do not crowd it as if it were a one-foot annual |
Devil's trumpet is a heat-loving, bushy plant. Full sun packs more flowers. Light shade is tolerable, but the stems stretch and bloom thins. [1] Keep the soil moist and well drained while the plant is settling. Once roots take, it handles dry spells better than a soggy low spot. The coarse leaves contrast well with finer annuals such as petunia in a night garden, where the trumpets open at dusk and fade by noon.
How much sun does devil's trumpet need?
Full sun. A little afternoon shade is fine. Deep shade makes a thin plant with fewer flowers.
Water while it is settling; sacred datura then handles drought
Soak after planting, and keep the root zone moist through the first hot weeks. After that, sacred datura tolerates dry soil. Do not skip water on a new garden datura just because a tag says drought-tolerant. [2]
- Water in after planting, and keep the first weeks evenly moist.
- Let the top of the soil dry a little between waterings once the plant is growing hard.
- Water again in a long drought, especially on garden datura in rich soil.
- Do not leave the roots in a puddle. Moist is the aim, not a bog.
How often should I water devil's trumpet?
Keep a new plant moist through the first hot weeks. Then water in a long drought. Do not leave the roots in standing water.
Plant after frost, three feet apart
Wait until frost is done. Devil's trumpet sulks in cold soil, and a late freeze kills young stems. Give each plant about three feet so the mound can sprawl once the heat arrives. [3]
- Wait until after the last frost, or start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before that date.
- Wear gloves. Sap can irritate skin, and every part of the plant is toxic if eaten.
- If you sow, cover the seed about 1/8 inch. Keep the mix evenly moist until seedlings show — often two to six weeks. An overnight soak in lukewarm water helps hard seed.
- Set a nursery plant at the same depth it grew in the pot. Space plants about three feet apart.
- Backfill with the soil you dug, firm, and water in. Do not bury the stem in a wet hollow.
When should I plant devil's trumpet?
After the last frost, or start seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before that date and set plants out when nights stay mild.
How far apart should I plant devil's trumpet?
Leave about three feet. Measure to the mature mound, not the nursery pot.
Not angel's trumpet — and not a moonflower vine
Devil's trumpet flowers face up. Angel's trumpet is Brugmansia, a woody shrub whose trumpets hang straight down. Brugmansia pods are smooth; Datura pods are knobby or spiny and split when they ripen. [4] Hanging types belong on How to Grow Angel's Trumpet.
Moonflower vine is Ipomoea alba. It climbs a trellis and has heart-shaped leaves. Devil's trumpet is a bush with toothed leaves and spiny pods. The vine is on How to Grow Morning Glory. Purple moonflower on a tag is sometimes garden datura, not the vine.
garden datura is the usual nursery mound, often double white, yellow, or purple. sacred datura is the Southwest native with larger white trumpets. Pasture jimsonweed is Datura stramonium, a smaller weedy annual with smaller flowers, not the ornamental mound.
Is devil's trumpet the same as angel's trumpet?
No. Devil's trumpet is Datura, with flowers that face up. Angel's trumpet is Brugmansia, a woody plant whose flowers hang down.
Is devil's trumpet a moonflower?
No. Moonflower vine is Ipomoea. It climbs. Devil's trumpet is a bush with spiny seed pods.
Deadhead spent blooms if you do not want seedlings
Ripe pods spill seed that stays viable for years. Deadheading is not required for bloom, but it is how you keep the bed from filling with volunteers.
- Pick spent trumpets before the capsule swells if you do not want seedlings next year.
- Stake a plant that sprawls into the path, or cut a few bulky stems to keep the mound in bounds.
- Pull extra seedlings with gloves. Ripe seed stays in the soil for years.
Do I need to deadhead devil's trumpet?
No, if you do not mind volunteers. Pick spent flowers before the pods swell if you want to keep the bed from seeding itself.
Site it in sun that drains, and plant after frost with three feet of room. Wear gloves, and do not eat any part of the plant.
FAQ
Can I grow devil's trumpet in a pot?
Yes, in a large pot with a drainage hole. Use a mix that drains, and water more often than in the ground. A bed is easier once the plant reaches three or four feet.
Will devil's trumpet come back after a frost?
Tops die in a freeze. Sacred datura has a thick root that can resprout when warm weather returns. Garden datura is usually grown again from seed each spring.
Is devil's trumpet the same as jimsonweed?
Sacred datura is sometimes sold as jimsonweed. Pasture jimsonweed is Datura stramonium, a smaller weedy annual with smaller flowers. Both are toxic if eaten.
Is purple moonflower this plant?
Sometimes a tag uses purple moonflower for garden datura. The climbing moonflower is Ipomoea. Check whether the plant is a bush or a vine.
Is devil's trumpet poisonous to pets?
Yes. All parts are toxic if eaten. Keep dogs, cats, and children from chewing leaves, flowers, or seed pods.
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Wisconsin Horticulture -
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/datura/ - [2] North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/datura-wrightii/ - [3] North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox -
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/datura-metel/ - [4] Craven County Cooperative Extension -
https://craven.ces.ncsu.edu/news/datura-vs-brugmansia-2/
More first-season notes by plant are gathered in How to Grow Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors