A few weeks ago, I spent a morning at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. I really like visiting Eastern Neck – there’s always something interesting to photograph – and rarely are there very many other people there. On this trip,  I was a little surprised to see as many wildflowers as I did. I didn’t expect to find many at the end of October. One of the wildflowers I photographed was Jimson Weed (Datura Stramonium).

Jimson Weed is a member of the Solonaceae family. It is related to the Devil’s Trumpet that I photographed last year at Green Spring Gardens and to the Nightshade that I photographed in Acadia National Park earlier this year. Like some other members of the Solonaceae family – jimson weed is poisonous. All parts of the plant contain alkaloids that can kill humans and animals.

Here are some of the photos I took of Jimson weed at Eastern Neck NWR.

The very distinctive looking Jimson weed blossom.

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

And a pair of photos of the fruit of the Jimson Weed plant.

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins

(c) 2009 Patty Hankins