How to Plant and Grow Moonflower

Moonflower (Datura) is one of the most romantic plants you can grow in a garden. The large, trumpet-shaped flowers unfurl in the evening and stay open until the sun rises. Several varieties of moonflower also give off a lemon fragrance when their flowers are open.

Moonflower, devil’s trumpet, jimsonweed, and thorn apple are just a few of the many common names for this self-seeding annual. As the name “moonflower“ suggests, many varieties open at night. Long, white petals slowly unfurl as the evening comes. When morning arrives, the flowers curl up, reverting to their closed form. While the nocturnal blooms of moonflower are certainly breathtaking, the gray-green tropical-looking leaves are another attractive feature of this plant.

As beautiful as this plant may be, it is deadly if ingested1. When planting moonflowers, site them in a spot out of reach of children and pets.

Another plant also goes by the name “moonflower,” which causes confusion. Moonflower (Datura) and moonflower vine (Ipomoea alba) are different plants with different needs. This article is about moonflower (Datura).

Where to Plant Moonflower

Plant moonflower in USDA Hardiness Zones 3–9 where you can enjoy the evening fragrance of the flowers, such as in pots next to your porch swing. If you have pets or small children, make sure to place moonflowers out of reach.

How and When to Plant Moonflower

These plants are frost tender, so they should be planted outside in the ground or in containers after the danger of frost has passed in the spring.

Moonflower Care Tips

Once moonflowers are established in well-drained soil, they don’t need much additional care.

Light

Moonflower flourishes in sun to partial shade.

Soil and Water

Plant moonflower in soil that drains well and has a neutral pH. Water the plants regularly, but don’t let them sit in overly soggy soil or they’ll rot.

Fertilizer

During the late spring/early summer blooming season, moonflower benefits from regular fertilization at half the regular strength. Use a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus, such as bone meal.

Pests and Problems

Moonflowers have few pest problems, although they might become infested with whiteflies, spider mites, or mealybugs.

How to Propagate Moonflower

As the life of the beautiful white blooms comes to an end, thorny pods begin to develop. Initially, the thorns are soft, but as they age and expand, they become hard and sharp. Wait until the seed pods dry on the plant. Then, break them open and collect the seeds. Sow them outside in the fall.

Types of Moonflower

There are several species of moonflower. Among them are ‘Blackcurrent Swirl’ and ‘Evening Fragrance’.

‘Blackcurrant Swirl’ Moonflower

Datura ‘Blackcurrant Swirl’ offers double purple flowers on 5-foot-tall plants.

‘Evening Fragrance’ Moonflower

Datura meteloides bears pure-white flowers and fuzzy gray-green foliage on a plant that can grow 4 feet tall.

Moonflower Companion Plants

Cardoon

Few annuals are bolder or make more of a statement than cardoon (Cynara cardunculus). This stately plant can reach 5 feet tall and bears toothed, thistlelike, silvery leaves. The blooms look like silvery-violet artichokes and take a back seat to the plant’s impressive foliage display. Though cardoon is perennial in Zones 7-9, it’s usually grown as an annual.

Spider Flower

It’s amazing that the tall, dramatic spider flower (Cleome hassleriana) is only an annual. Once temperatures warm up, it zooms to 4 feet or more quickly and produces large balls of flowers with fascinating long seedpods that whirl out from it. It typically self-seeds prolifically, so you only need to plant it once. Because it develops surprisingly large thorns, it’s best to keep spider flower away from walkways. Group them in clusters of six or more for best effect.

Flowering Tobacco

Many types of flowering tobacco (Nicotiana) are terrifically fragrant, especially at night. There are several types of nicotiana (also called flowering tobacco because it’s a cousin of the regular tobacco plant). Try the shorter, more colorful types in containers or the front of beds or borders. The taller, white-only types, which can reach 5 feet, are dramatic in the back of borders. They’re ideal for night gardens because they’re usually most fragrant at dusk. These plants do best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil, and they may reseed.