Datura superbloom

August 07, 2019

From such little seeds, what a profusion of flowers! Two evenings in a row this week, my seed-grown datura (Datura wrightii) unfurled more than two dozen blossoms, which shine like spotlights through the night and into the next morning. It’s a superbloom!

Here’s how they look as the sun goes down…unfurling…unfurling.

…and the next morning — bam! Still glowing. The limp blossoms are from the previous night. Each flower blooms for just one evening.

I love when a datura superbloom happens. It lights up the whole driveway bed.

And the flowers smell good too, if you like the scent of Lemon Pledge.

They also attract night pollinators like sphinx moths.

After two superblooms in a row, last night only five flowers twirled open. But I’ll take even one of these beauties and be happy.

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Digging Deeper

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3 responses to “Datura superbloom”

  1. Alison says:

    I tried growing Datura from seed a few years ago, but I don’t think they liked our cool summers much. I kept them in pots as well, so I needed to keep them watered. I wonder, maybe next time I should try them in the ground. Yours looks beautiful.

  2. Maggie C says:

    So beautiful! I am also amazed at what one tiny seed produces, and so quickly. Which is a good thing, as I had 5 Carolina Sphinx moth caterpillars totally defoliate mine a week ago. It’s already leafing out again, but I think the blooms are on hold for now. Maybe by the time those caterpillars turn into moths I’ll have flowers for them. Thanks for sharing yours with us!