The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

wichenburi

I would like to purchase a few Datura plants. But the word Datura means nothing to the Thai gardener i have. Please help me with a translation that he may know.

Happyman

Means f*ckall to me as well - cant help - sorry

PS - My golly ! your AV is a bit top heavy - wanna post a full sized pic so we can all marvel at the sight !

somtamslap

Google a picture of it and shove it in their faces whilst saying 'you fucking well got this or what?'

Should do the trick..

DaffyDuck

Print out a picture, show it to him, and point.

Datura

Uses: This is A Very Dangerous Plant!

Most parts of the Datura plant contain atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine, alkaloid poisons having "anticholinergic" effects, i.e. they cross the blood-brain barrier and inhibit acetylcholine (the main neurotransmitter used by the parasympathetic nervous system).

These three drugs relax muscles and glands regulated by this sytem, and thus find uses in anaesthesia and as antispasmodics. For example, scopolomine has been used in minute doses as sleeping medicine, but if overdosed can produce "delirium, delusions, paralysis, stupor and death". Symptoms likely to be produced by these drugs include urinary retention, dry mouth, throat, and skin, blurred vision, headache and nausea, dizziness, flushing, fever, euphoria, hallucinations, and short-term memory loss.

Little wonder, then, that intoxication with Datura (which contains all three of these chemicals) typically produces "effects similar to that of an anticholinergic delirium": "complete inability to differentiate reality from fantasy (frank delirium, as contrasted to hallucination); hyperthermia; tachycardia [rapid heart beats]; agitation, including bizarre, inexplicable, and possibly violent behavior; and severe mydriasis (hyper-dilation of the eye pupil, due to inibition of acetylcholine function), with resultant painful photophobia that can last several days. Pronounced amnesia is another commonly-reported effect."

According to the drug information site Erowid (see that link), no other substance has received as many "Train Wreck" severely-negative experience reports as has Datura, the writers noting that "the overwhelming majority of those who describe to us their use of Datura (and to a lesser extent, Belladonna, Brugmansia and Brunfelsia) find their experiences extremely mentally and physically unpleasant and not infrequently physically dangerous."

What are your plans for these plants?

DrAndy

I hope you don't have murder in your heart

this is amusing

Dangerous leaves and urban myths

Norton

If you are referring to datura aka Angels Trumpet, think it would be Lamphong Khaao in Thai.

wichenburi

I like them they look good, big showy plant, no murder is not what I have in mind. The picture idea is good,

__________________
wichianburi

DrAndy

I have seen a lot of them around the mediterranean

I don't like them, remind me of death

wichenburi

Thanks Norton, that is the perfect answer. The plant looks good. Is it a good choice for Thailand

filch

Wichenburi, if you're not an experienced phsyconaut be very VERY careful with this one.

Erowid Experience Vaults: Datura - A Tale of Nudity, Arrest & Insanity..... - 17700

Read a lot about it, personally I'd be way too scared to try. Hope you are just using it as a pretty decoration.

wichenburi

That site is unreal, the plant could become very popular if people visit the site. Where you find that site. nice plant, I had no idea about the rest of it.

filch

Yeah Erowid is a very educational site. Hopefully through its experiences and providing some education to people they will save a few numpties from dosing themselves to death.

I came across the site a while back after learning a little about DMT. And no, I have never taken DMT but I was curious to learn more.

UncleBank

I have heard that called "Dok Hello" in the north.

The flower kinda looks like the old telephone ear piece.

I can imagine some drunk falang trying to make a mock phone call on it years ago to the amusement of the locals and the name stuck.

Hello hello, I want to place a call overseas.

wichenburi

I have grown the plant in England and its really nice and grows very big quickly, But will it grow in Thailand.

maybe a good cat killer and the local thai dogs may get more then they bargained for. I think its a winner.

Propagator

Have seen them growing many places in Thailand. It is the Datura candida (suaveolens) and part of the deadly nightshade family

wichenburi

Thank you for your reply, I think it looks nice but is it a good choice of plant or would you recommend something else for Thailand. I do have children and some of what i have learned has put me off.

filch

I'd recommend something else Wichenburi. Although not being a gardener or horticulturalist I would not know what to suggest. A trip to a local shrubbery or garden center perhaps?

wichenburi

I think you maybe correct. But gardening in Thailand is not easy, the language is a killer. Going to the garden center and pointing and hope for the best. Thompson and Morgan made it easy at home.

filch

As another poster suggested, pictures. In horticulture they are priceless in identifying species.

nedwalk

[quote="DaffyDuck"]What are your plans for these plants?[/QUOTE

was my original thought too.. the local council on the area have deemed this plant a noxious weed, though i still see them around the place from time to time they are a pretty plant

Norton

Take a look here. Might give you a few ideas. Best way to decide is to visit local nurseries. They will have plants which grow best in your area.

http://teakdoor.com/farming-and-gard...ctures-16.html (Thai flowers, your pictures)

Gipsy

Let's not confuse plant names…. Asked for was a Thai name for a "Datura". I can't help you on that one…. But the plant you are asking for is no longer a Datura; it's called a Brugmansia.

At one time Brugmansia plants were included in the genus Datura, but taxonomists have, in 1973, divided the two groups into different genera. I see a lots of posts referring to the toxicity of the Datura, and although the Brugmansia is toxic as well, it is a different plant.

No idea how old your children are, but I would not grow any of the 2 plants, until they are able to understand these plants can be harmful and therefor will not touch them. They will, of course, grow to an age where they might find out the plant is more than just a good-looking plant and start experimenting!

I grow a few colors of the Brugmansia's in my garden, and my neighbor has specifically asked to grow a few next to the fence…. Every now and then he's collecting a few spent flowers and carrying them into the kitchen...

Brugmansia's are a long-lived, woody perennial, eventually reaching heights of over 20 feet. They have downward to slightly outward-facing, large (6" to 24" long) trumpet-shaped blooms, in shades of white, cream, yellow, peach, orange, pink, and red and rarely set seed. In contrast,

Datura's are a short-lived herbaceous perennial (they rarely live more than 3-4 years), are usually grown as an annual, and rarely exceed heights over 6 feet. Their smaller (2" to 8" long) white, cream, yellow, lavender or purple flowers are held upright above the plants and set seed freely.

Datura fruiits are round shaped and prickly but Brugmansia fruits are cucumber shaped and not prickly.

More general info on Brugmansia: Brugmansia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A lot of pictures for Brugmansia species and hybrids: http://toptropicals.com/catalog/uid/brugmansia_arborea.htm

More general info on Datura: Datura metel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pictures of Datura metel ( Datura metel known as "Lam-Pohng" in the Central part of Thailand and as "Ma Khuea Ban" (=Mad Egg-plant ) in the North):www.TopTropicals.com - rare plants for home and garden

And an easy way to score plants is to always have your 'wishlist with pictures' with you whenever you get close to flower markets, nurseries or visiting beautiful gardens. (Store this wish list on your mobile phone or your iPod and just show it after saying "Ton mai nee, mee mai?...") Like me, many people do not always know their scientific name, or (local) Thai name, but mostly the flower or fruit is recognized quickly and a finger will point you in the right direction....

Norton

If you plan to have dogs or other animals not recommended either.

wichenburi

Its nice to know some else likes the plant, the Metel is very beautiful. Thank you for all the information. In the UK the plant is often called both Datura and Brugmansia. Thank you for the reply.

Gipsy

Update: Yes, anything that can chew on the different plant parts should not be tempted and kept away for it's own safety.... Maybe we should start a thread with all the poisonous plants growing in Thailand.

The second link (photo's of Brugmansia) does not seem to work, whatever I try, but once at TopTropicals, just type Brugmansia in the search bar, and you will find..... And Google has lots of them as well.