Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium) is in the nightshade family family (Solanaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,144 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in August.
Nationally it blooms mainly from July to October, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Jimsonweed: observations by month (U.S.)
About Jimsonweed
Datura stramonium, known by the English names jimsonweed or devil's snare, is a plant in the nightshade family. It is believed to have originated in Mexico, but has now become naturalized in many other regions. Other common names for D. stramonium include thornapple and moon flower, and it has the Spanish name toloache. Other names for the plant include hell's bells, devil's trumpet, devil's weed, tolguacha, Jamestown weed, stinkweed, locoweed, pricklyburr, devil's cucumber and Thornapple....From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Jimsonweed by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 422 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Maryland | 82 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Virginia | 75 | August | Jun–Oct |
| Pennsylvania | 74 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Kentucky | 57 | August | Jul–Oct |
| North Carolina | 50 | August | Jul–Oct |
| Ohio | 50 | August | Jul–Oct |
| New Jersey | 47 | August | Jun–Oct |
| Massachusetts | 44 | August | Jul–Sep |
| Illinois | 24 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Michigan | 18 | October | Jul–Oct |
| Tennessee | 18 | August | Jun–Sep |
| Connecticut | 16 | October | Aug–Oct |
| Indiana | 15 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Delaware | 14 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Missouri | 14 | September | Jul–Oct |
| Arkansas | 13 | July | Jul–Sep |
| California | 13 | October | Oct–Oct |
| Oregon | 11 | September | Aug–Oct |
| Alabama | 8 | May | May–Aug |
| Maine | 8 | September | Jun–Oct |
| South Carolina | 8 | July | Jul–Jul |
| West Virginia | 8 | August | Aug–Sep |
| District of Columbia | 7 | July | Jun–Oct |
| Georgia | 7 | May | May–Aug |
| Mississippi | 6 | August | Jul–Aug |
| Vermont | 6 | September | Sep–Sep |
| Kansas | 5 | August | Aug–Sep |
| Rhode Island | 5 | August | Jul–Aug |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (nightshade family)
Carolina horsenettle
Sacred Datura
Bittersweet Nightshade
Silverleaf Nightshade
Purple Groundcherry
Tree Tobacco
Thickleaf Groundcherry
Desert Tobacco
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jimsonweed?
Nationally, August has the most observations, with the main season from July to October.
Where is Jimsonweed most often seen?
The most observations come from New York, Maryland, Virginia.