The scariest plant in the world, Datura aka (jimson weed)

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HarrogateTobias

Full Member
Feb 4, 2011
854
1
34
Heaton, Newcastle
When i stumbled across this information i was shocked to say the least. I dont think many people know much about this plant and its unusual properties. It is a very common plant in south america and even grows wild on the streets of some towns.

""The Devil's Breath." It's a substance so intense that it renders a person incapable of exercising free will"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datura
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ng-forests-Colombia-ELIMINATES-free-will.html

There is documentary on this plant on youtube which i will not link as it is age restricted and shouldnt be watched by under 18's i will send you the link in a PM if you wish to see. Its really worth the watch!

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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
It's a long known intoxicant, poison, and religious use drug.....like a lot of other plants.
However, it's not native, it doesn't even grow as a weed here, in fact most of us will never see it. Where it does grow it's properties and problems are generally well known.

What got you so concerned about it ?

cheers,
Toddy
 

Tengu

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
12,780
1,517
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Wiltshire
Ive seen it in gardens.

In sure its easy enough to find the seeds if you want to have a go at growing it (In no gardner and to be frank, I find the flowers pretty dull. Give me sweet peas any day)
 

HarrogateTobias

Full Member
Feb 4, 2011
854
1
34
Heaton, Newcastle
It's a long known intoxicant, poison, and religious use drug.....like a lot of other plants.
However, it's not native, it doesn't even grow as a weed here, in fact most of us will never see it. Where it does grow it's properties and problems are generally well known.

What got you so concerned about it ?

cheers,
Toddy

well i suppose because anyone here could legally grow it process it and use it for evil deeds, i spent a month in a sao paulo slum where as a "gringo" there was a good chance this could have been used on myself. Even consuming a single seed of this plant would kill you fresh from the fruit.

Watch the video toddy
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
The same could be said about many seeds.......from yew berries to caster oil plants.

Maybe the post would seem to have more relevance if you'd said it as a kind of warning to the unwary in a South American slum :dunno:

Can't really see any of us growing it for 'evil deeds', not quite our style methinks :)

Cheers,
Toddy
 

Hoodoo

Full Member
Nov 17, 2003
5,302
13
Michigan, USA
Very common plant around here. You don't need to go to SA. I knew some guys back in the 70s who ate a bunch of seeds one night. Two ended in up the hospital, one in jail. Very potent drug, to say the least.
 

Androo

Nomad
Dec 8, 2010
300
0
NW UK
The Vice Documentary?
There are a few Datura varieties that are easily grown in the UK with a little bit of protection. With a light assisted grow-room - the Datura variety you (and the documentary) mention is very easy to grow.
Sure, some of it's affects can be used for 'evil' purposes, but some varieties also have a long history of shamanic, medicinal and ritual use. Psychedelic plants/compounds have, are and always will be an important part of any human culture.

Some people (me included) say that we wouldn't be where we are as a species without psychedelic substances. And there are many powerful ones that grow freely in the UK. Datura is a minimal concern on this island!
 

tinderbox

Forager
Feb 22, 2007
195
1
60
East Lothian
Scopalamine would that be the plant alkaloid that's found in all members of the potato family? Especially belladonna, but also potato and tomato flowers.
 
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HarrogateTobias

Full Member
Feb 4, 2011
854
1
34
Heaton, Newcastle
The same could be said about many seeds.......from yew berries to caster oil plants.

Maybe the post would seem to have more relevance if you'd said it as a kind of warning to the unwary in a South American slum :dunno:

Can't really see any of us growing it for 'evil deeds', not quite our style methinks :)

Cheers,
Toddy

yew berries and castor oil plants? really?

what british seeds have the same effect? just a simple sniff of the processed drug is enough for complete control of yourself for 12 hours.

it seems i am in error by even highlighting this plant to the general public.

so i take it from general british BCUK that this is irrelivent info lol
 

xylaria

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
you can get scopolamine from pharmasists as a travel sickness drug. The dose is very low but it is more than sniff. It is a useful drug in the right dose. Like opates they aren't dangerous unless the dosage is wrong. Datura grows as a weed in the south east of england.

Datura was used in combination with other herbs to produce general anathesia, the level of compounds in it were more predicable than mandrake.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
:D

I didn't know about the SE; interesting.
Isn't it fascinating how much our isolated island limited flora and fauna has increased in recent years ? :)
I knew of the plant as a herbal drug, of a few who used it as an intoxicant, I think most of that knowledge came from the men who came back from the Indian subcontinent though; the Death Apple that Kipling wrote about.

I don't think it has any hunting uses ? maybe to attract birds to the seeds? I was told that it taints the meat, but, as I said that knowledge is third/fourth hand.
Still can't see it being the scariest plant though. Lots of native hallucinogenics, toxins, available to be 'mis' used should someone so decide. As for the breath thing....sleeping under a Yew tree is not recommended either.

cheers,
Toddy
 

geordienemisis

Settler
Oct 3, 2010
529
1
Newcastle upon Tyne
Reading this I see that one of the plants chemicals is Atropine is this the same stuff that the Autojet injector pens for NBC poisoning? If so I would think this to be pretty dangerous even if the Mail said so.
 

bushwacker bob

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 22, 2003
3,824
17
STRANGEUS PLACEUS
I have survived the ricin in the castor oil plant in the garden, The datura I kept as a houseplant for 5 years(I caused its death) and I regularly work with yew. Guess I'm going to die at somepoint so you could be correct.
 

forestwalker

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
: Still can't see it being the scariest plant though. Lots of native hallucinogenics, toxins, available to be 'mis' used should someone so decide. As for the breath thing....sleeping under a Yew tree is not recommended either.
Put a box of the wrong kind of morchella under someones bed? As to the homebrew wine: give them some Coprinus atramentarius to eat with it... Key lesson; there is many, many scary plants out there, which can cause death, permanent kidney damage or are hallucinogenics. Me, I kind of like the way my CNS works, so I stay off all of the latter, and like be able to go for a walk every now and then ,rather than being locked up, and therefore avoid even seriously considering all the other "fun" uses for various plants.

Singing -- off key -- about my little list, with a Bear most adventurous etc, that surely wouldn't be missed is about as far I will go.
 

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