Your dats will grow those prickly pods. When the pods are ripe, they will break open on their own. There is about a jillion seeds in each pod. You might want to consider wearing gloves for seed harvesting.

Also be aware that datura is a posionous plant, so be careful when handling. Good luck!

I have the Moonflower VINE...and want to collect seed. Will they produce seed and when can I collect them? They just started blooming, isn't that late? Will they have time to set seed?

Adam

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5233a2.htm

So the flowers that bloom at night but are not a VINE is a datura.

I have been saving both seeds from my white datura and white moon flower they both have the same type of seeds. So are they basically the same flower?

Thanks

Paula

My moonflower vine didn't flower until Sept either this year and I wondered too if this was late. This is the first year I have been successful getting my seed to germinate. I haven't seen any seed pods yet and I am crossing my fingers also to find some. Those moonvine growers, is Sept. late to flower? I haven't seen that question answered yet.

The above confusion about disparate plant genera illustrates the fact that common names for plants are not very useful.

Think of it this way - viney moonflower is in the same family as morning glory, also ipomoea.

This was my first year with ipomoea alba. I planted them right next to where my morning glories planted themselves and it made for really neat contrast between the two related plants, especially when you get a moonie open early enough in the evening that there are still some glories open.

I'm guessing by the general discuss here that it's ok to allow moonflowers to self-propagate this far north. I definitely more vines than i had this year, though i was not at all unhappy with the growth.

Ipomoea alba is one of the exciting plants i've ever grown. It is there to impress and does nothing in small measures. I highly recommend it.

A couple of questions,

1. I alba has the reputation of a pronounced and pleasant scent during the evening/night, has anyone ever noticed this?

2. Looking at this forum in the main garden forum list, I note by the absence of the camera icon that it supposedly does not support images, however see two excellent pic's kindly provided by costaricafinca via photobucket.
How can I obtain the knowledge to do this, as I may in the future, have my own images to share.

From what I've read it's only poisonous when injested but the oils from the plant can cause irritation especally if you have cuts or if you touch a mucous membrane. Your eyes are very susceptible as it will cause dialation of the pupils. I've grabbed the seeds before w/out any issues but washed my hands after packaging. Just be careful and don't eat it. As for with animals, I think it depends because toxins affect different creatures differently.