White angel's trumpet
StarBrugmansia arborea
Synonyms: Brugmansia arbuscula, Elisia formosissima, Stramonium arboreum, Pseudodatura arborea, Brugmansia cornigera, Datura cornigera, Datura speciosa
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
White angel's trumpet was used by Andean and other South American indigenous peoples both as a powerful ritual entheogen in shamanic and divinatory practice and, externally, in folk medicine: poultices of the warmed leaves or flowers were applied to the skin to relieve pain, swellings, and rheumatic complaints, exploiting the plant's tropane-alkaloid analgesic and antispasmodic action (Schultes & Hofmann, 1992; Bristol, 1969). WARNING: every part of this plant is extremely poisonous and potentially lethal; internal use can be fatal.
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Botanical Description
Brugmansia arborea, the white angel's trumpet, is a small tree or large shrub in the nightshade family (Solanaceae) native to the Andean regions of South America and widely cultivated as an ornamental. It reaches 3–7 m tall with a stout, woody, often crooked trunk and spreading branches. The alternate leaves are ovate to elliptic, soft, slightly hairy, and up to about 15 cm long. The plant is best known for its large, spectacular, pendulous flowers: trumpet-shaped corollas 15–25 cm long, white and fragrant especially at night, with five recurved teeth at the flared mouth and a tubular, ribbed, closely fitting calyx. Pollination is chiefly by long-tongued hawkmoths. The fruit is a smooth, fusiform, indehiscent berry. The entire plant contains high concentrations of tropane alkaloids (scopolamine, hyoscyamine, atropine) and is extremely toxic. Flowering occurs over an extended season in warm climates.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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