We have a plant which I sometimes think is a datura and at other times that it's a brugmansia. I have read that brugmansia blooms point down, and datura up. Ours are mostly horizontal, sometimes a bit up and sometimes a bit down.
According to Wikipedia, daturas are herbaceous and do not grow higher than 4 feet, while brugmansias have a trunk. Our plant is over 12 feet tall and has a trunk.

I think the blooms on our plant are like datura blooms, but if the info is correct, the plant as a whole more closely meets the description of a brugmansia. Could it be a datura that doesn't die back in winter because we are frost free here (south of France)? Or some kind of hybrid?

This has puzzled me for a long time, so it would be nice to have the question resolved!

Bud (early June)


New bloom (June)


Bloom colour gradually fades (today)

I'm almost positive that it's a brugmansia. The leaves don't look right for a datura. Hopefully someone else will give you a more definite ID shortly.

brugmansia

Thank you! Is this a definite ID? I should have asked ages ago!

Looks like brugmansia to me too.

Me four!

Datura have flowers that point upwards. They do not get a woody stem and are mostly annuals.
Brugmansia grow into tall, semi-woody to woody shrubs or trees, and the flowers hang downwards from each node along the branches.

Brugmansia

No doubt about it . It is a brugmansia....... aka Angel's trumpet . Datura blooms do point up and brugmansias because of the size of the bloom mostly hang down . The flower on a datura can be about 3 or 4 inches wide . The brugmansia bloom is often around 10 inches long and tubular in shape. Brugmansia will have a very heady scent at night. It definitely has a trunk and will only bloom after your cutting forms a Y shape on the trunk . Datura is an annual while Brugmansia will continue to grow if brought inside for the winter in colder weather.

Datura may be an annual where you are, but they are true perennials in my neck of the woods! Datura is a perennial. http://garden.org/plants/searc...

Tara , I suppose I should correct myself . Daturas are self seeding annuals. That is to say they grow , flower , set seed and if you don't remove the seed head will reseed themselves . Where you are no doubt they reseed and set new plants all the time . Where I am they reseed and grow new plants each spring . Sorry for the confusion .