A Witch’s Guide to Poisonous Plant Spirts… Datura, the Devil’s Trumpet

Last updated on: June 26, 2021 at 6:23 pm by Raven Wood

A Witch’s Guide to Poisonous Plant Spirts… Datura, the Devil’s Trumpet 2021-06-26T18:23:04+00:00 Raven Wood

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Summer is upon us, the sun shines continually now. Long hot days spent sipping on chilled hibiscus and mint brews, toe rings have replaced shoes, and I am usually forever found in my woods this time of year. But this summer it’s different, I find myself consumed with the poisonous plants that I grow. Tending to them, watching and taking notes on their reactions and growth, and learning their precious secrets… So most evenings you will find me on my deck amongst them, writing about their mysteries, magick and folklore. This will then be a series of blogs for some of the poisonous beauties that completely enchant me, and that I work with regularly. We shall start with the first wild spirit that cunningly made its presence known to me… The Devil’s TrumpetAlso know as Datura, Hell’s bells, the Devil’s weed, Thornapple, or the Devil’s cucumber… to mention but a few of her many names. More commonly known as Datura innoxia, Datura metel, and Datura stramonium, all belonging to the Solanaceae, and are the datura species that I currently grow and work with.
Although we know datura as poisonous deadly and cunning, what can harm can also heal. So medicinally speaking datura is an anti~~inflammatory, an antispasmodic, anti~~anxiety, antidepressant and more. This is due to the alkaloids atropine and scopolamine which are also in such Old World plants as Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), Atropa belladonna, and Mandragora officinarum (Black mandrake). I make an ointment of datura, and if applied topically can be used for tendinitis, rheumatism, arthritis, or any type of bruising, joint, tendon, or bone aliments. As a plant of Saturn we see how she brings endings to these aliments, but datura ointment can be used for magickal purposes as well.
Used as a flower essence datura is a plant that works with the coyote and wolf spirit, a true trickster, that can enhance shamanic journeys and meditations. Used in ceremonies for traveling out of the body to other realms. Datura facilitates seeing beyond our present view of reality to a more visionary state, opening the doors of perception to a more expanded experience of reality.

Now magickally is where I feel this Devil’s weed truly shines, the most obvious being as a fearless protector with it’s wickedly spiked seed pods, offering warding, binding, and a amulet to inhabit spirits… for those who know her gifts.

Datura is an herb of Venus too, an aphrodisiac, one who lures as a siren with a euphoric sedative scent, and strikingly enchanting beauty. A similar aspect of this allure is how datura is more than happy to flourish in our flower pots and window boxes, clever in the idea of keeping company with humans as an opportunity to interact with us …
With Saturn and Venus entwined together in this plant, work with datura for dark love magick, reckonings, reverse spell work, bindings, or hexes and curses involving love. Magickally Saturn’s influence on datura is with death, the underworld, borders, and spell work involving the crone. Some stop there with the planetary influences, but I feel the moon needs mention as well. Datura is a moon flower, she opens her captivating blooms at night, she is drawn to the moon beams instead of the suns rays, having night pollinators, as she releases her sweet intoxicating scent at night. Datura has connections with lycanthropy, lunacy, shape shifting and the wolf spirit, so she is indeed a wild, unpredictable, and at times insidious plant spirit.The moon brings datura connections of the trinity; the maiden, mother and crone, enhanced divination skills, and amazing dream states. On warm humid days I love nothing better than to sit with her out on my deck and inhale her bewitching bloom’s scent, then laying down for the most vivid and informative visions, a way we work together.

In essence know that datura is a truly Saturnian plant, for when working with her at some point she will show you her true darkness. Be prepared, for datura shows no mercy. The price one pays to work with this plant spirit deeply. So do not neglect her… ever. Treat her with respect, and just know of datura’s darkness if you choose to work with this magickal plant.

About Raven Wood

Raven is an herbalist, planetary alchemist, magickal folklorist and traditional witch of Celtic and Germanic roots, who lives and practices her craft in the woods of mid western North America. She currently writes the blog “Witch of the Wood with Raven Wood“ for Patheos Pagans, and has a website “Wood Witch Hollow” where you will find blogs, shop updates, Patreon information and other writings. Her first book in the works. You can read more about the author here.

Previous Post

April 9, 2021

The Magick of Melissa...

Next Post

September 10, 2021 A Witch's Guide to Poisonous Plant Spirits ~ The Devil's Berries, Belladonna

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category A Haunted Road trip Autumn Equinox Conjurer Green Witch Hekate Hexing and cursing Lughnasadh Magickal Folklore Mirror Magick out of the broom closet Plant Folklore poisonous plants seer shadow work Shamanism Spring magick in the wood. Summer solstice The Fae Traditional Witch Traditional Witchcraft Uncategorized witch craft Witchcraft Spellwork witches fetch

Select a Month August 2026 March 2026 December 2025 November 2025 August 2025 March 2025 December 2024 October 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 March 2024 December 2023 November 2023 August 2023 April 2023 March 2023 June 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 September 2021 June 2021 April 2021 January 2021 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 December 2019 November 2019 September 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 February 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 July 2018 June 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz