The devil's trumpet, also known as Indian thorn apple or sadadhatura, was used primarily in India for cultic, medicinal and ornamental purposes. With its complex flowers, which are reminiscent of upright angel's trumpet flowers, it is a very beautiful potted plant that also grows quickly and soon reaches an impressive size even when grown as an annual. Its flowers give off an intense scent in the evening. There are countless cultivated ornamental forms, but this is the wild form. Datura metel grows as a wild plant in almost all tropical regions of the world, but is also one of the most important cultivated varieties of thorn apples because it is so fast-growing and robust. It is one of the fundamental remedies of traditional Chinese medicine, but its use is reserved for very experienced alternative practitioners because of its strong poisonous effect. In South America it is used as a border plant in gardens to deter insects. The plant is very poisonous and should not be planted in gardens where small children play!
