Datura wrightii

Sacred datura, angel's trumpet

Family: Solanaceae · Type: perennial · Native

Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes

Sacred datura is a California native perennial herb found in the North Coast Ranges Interior, central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Tehama County, Central Valley, Central Western California, Southwestern California, and Desert regions in sandy or gravelly open areas at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from April to October, this plant produces large white flowers up to 20 centimeters long with long, narrow corolla lobes that open in the evening. Growing with densely puberulent stems 50 to 150 centimeters tall, it forms a robust and spreading habit. Its large ovate leaves measuring 7 to 20 centimeters are either entire or coarsely lobed, creating a dramatic architectural presence in its habitat. The fruit is a distinctive nodding capsule 25 to 30 millimeters wide, covered in short prickles and containing flat tan seeds with a white appendage.

Habitat: Sandy or gravelly open areas

Bloom period: Apr-Oct

Elevation: < 2200 m

Bioregions: NCoRI, c&amps SNF, Teh, GV, CW, SW, D

California counties: San Bernardino, San Diego, Kern, Ventura, Sonoma, Riverside, Los Angeles, Tulare, Orange, Fresno, Merced, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Imperial, San Joaquin, Colusa, Inyo, Butte, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Marin, Santa Clara, Solano, Mono, Yolo, San Luis Obispo, Sutter, Glenn, Contra Costa, San Benito, Mariposa, Alameda, Madera, Napa, Sacramento, Shasta, Santa Cruz, Kings

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.