DescriptionDatura metel 'Fastuosa' bud and flower.jpg
English: Two flowers of Datura metel 'Fastuosa' , the purple-black-stemmed form of the Hindu Datura or Indian Thornapple. D. metel has recently been found to have been a pre-Columbian introduction from Central America to India, at no later date than the 2nd century C.E.
The plant is not, strictly speaking, a true species, its several ornamental forms having been created by ancient Central American horticulturalists from the wild desert species Datura innoxia, resulting in plants with longer-lasting, more colourful flowers that can be propagated by basal cuttings.
Cultivated plant UK. Acquired from specialist nursery in previous year and overwintered in conservatory. Early in year plant was discovered to be 'sulking' because severely infested with root mealy bugs. Responded very well to simple washing of root completely bare of infested compost with plain water and repotting in fresh compost. Plant was a little slow to recover from such drastic treatment but had produced four vigorous, new flowering shoots / branches by late May.
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