Datura ferox
Long-spined thorn-apple
(c) Victoria Prosdocimo, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Solanaceae · Type: Annual · Not Native
Datura ferox (Long-spined thorn-apple) is a non-native California annual in the Solanaceae family, recognized by . Key feature is the long, graduated spines on erect fruits.
Long-spined thorn-apple is a naturalized annual found in northern Sierra Nevada foothills, northern San Joaquin Valley, and southern Coast Ranges in disturbed areas at elevations below 1,350 meters. Flowering from April to October, this plant produces white or pale blue-purple flowers 4.5 to 5 centimeters long with short, narrow lobes. Growing up to one meter tall with nearly smooth stems that are slightly glabrous to sparsely hairy, it develops an upright habit. Its leaves are 10 to 20 centimeters long with wavy, coarsely lobed edges, giving the plant a distinctive appearance. The fruit is an erect capsule approximately 25 millimeters wide, covered in few but impressive prickles 8 to 22 millimeters long, with longer and stouter prickles toward the top.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species. Key feature is the long, graduated spines on erect fruits.
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 1350 m
Outside California: perhaps native to southern South America, introduced +- worldwide
Bloom period
Datura ferox blooms Apr-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Calystegia: Datura has spiny seed pods; Calystegia has smooth, rounded capsules.; vs Brugmansia: Datura fruits are covered in spines; Brugmansia fruits are smooth elongated pods without spines.; vs Solanum: Datura has spiny capsules; Solanum has smooth berries.; vs Marah: Datura has herbaceous stems and trumpet flowers; Marah is a vine with tendrils and separate male/female flowers.; vs Ipomoea: Datura has spiny fruits and toothed leaves; Ipomoea has smooth capsules and often lobed leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Datura ferox native to California?
No. Datura ferox is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Datura ferox bloom?
Datura ferox blooms Apr-Oct.
What plant family does Datura ferox belong to?
Datura ferox is in the Solanaceae family, genus Datura.
What habitat does Datura ferox grow in?
Datura ferox grows in Disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.