Lovely, Mystical Datura

The beautiful night blooming plant of the American Southwest has many unique characteristics. Indigenous people from the Chumash to the Zuni used it in rituals ranging from passage into manhood to much needed rain in the arid regions in which it grows. Perhaps you have seen it on your local hike and noticed its dramatic white bloom.

While seductive, this plant is considered highly toxic if smoked or ingested. For the Chumash, young boys were given this plant as a drink to aid in their spiritual fortitude as they pass into adulthood. Tribes in Northern Mexico and parts of Texas, Datura was used by shamans to transcend the borders of life and death and communicate with spirits. Among the Mohave, Yuma, Cahuilla, Zuni, and other cultural groups, Datura is used more generally to create and break hexes, to protect from evil, and even as a sleep and dream aid.

Many still use this powerful plant today, but strictly ornamentally using the flowers or the oil for aromatherapy.

Until next time, namaste 🙏