Hey, guys, today I'm going to tell you about a very common plant that grows all throughout north america that is extremely deadly. But for those of you who are herbalists, you may like to also know it because it's also used medicinally, okay?
So it's a deadly plant, but it's also used by some advanced herbalists in medicine, okay? And so it's called Deterra. D-A-T-U-R-A is the genus name. And it's actually right here behind me, also called gymson weed or angel trumpet.
Okay? And so, pardon the wind. It's a little windy out here. So deter is in the night shade family, which is why it looks very similar to potatoes or tomato leaves in the same family as those plants.
So it's a very beautiful plant. And we'll show you some flowers, and we can see the large white flowers that grow on this plant. And the part that's not really out right now is the large seed pods. So the very large they look like spiky balls.
Big spiky, very large spiky balls. And so you want to become very familiar with this plant because it's common throughout much of the United States. Actually, I've seen it growing all throughout the eastern united states.
Today, we're in the southwest, and I've seen it in books of the northwest, so I know it grows all throughout the United states. And usually it is a herb. So it's a perennial herb, which means it comes back from the same root from year to year.
At least I'm assuming it is, because I usually see new plants growing where old, dead plants are, and there's also vining species. So they're species that grow as a vine, and they're identified pretty much the same way.
Flowers look similar, leave look similar. So this if you were to eat one of these leaves, you would likely die very quickly. Okay? It's very toxic. An interesting fact, though, is that some people actually use this plant as a hallucinogen.
So. The first time I was ever introduced to this plant was in a book called edible and medicinal plants of the west by Gregory Tilford, where he states that he has seen firsthand people's stomachs get pumped after teenagers trying to use this plant as a hallucinogen.
Well, interestingly enough, there was a vining species of Deterra that I saw one time in south Florida, and I happened to have met a south Florida redneck that was living down there, really kind of rough, shady character.
And he told me concise directions, dosages and everything of how he used that species of Deterra as a hallucinogen. That made him hallucinate very strongly for about two days. So, very interesting little fact there.
Do not recommend that. I don't like to teach about psychoactive plants. I don't recommend that. Just more of a little funny side note, because this plant will definitely kill you. So I don't recommend that anyone uses it for that purpose.
However, advanced herbalists will sometimes use this plant as a topical pain reliever, okay? So it is related to tobacco, which is also used very similarly as a topical pain reliever, but it's much, much more potent than that plant, okay?
And so I am not going to give you any type of directions. Don't take this as me telling you to use this plant. Only advanced herbalists should use this plant. I've never used it for that purpose. But however, I have seen one herbalist recommend I do believe it was Charles Cain who wrote medicinal plants of the American southwest, if I'm not mistaken, did recommend that some species of deter, he would cut a very small square, maybe a piece about this size or so, and that could be used to treat to use internally in an emergency to treat.
I think it was. Allergic reactions. Okay, so say someone's going to some type of allergic shock. He would use it for that purpose. However, before I post this video, I'll double check that. And I'm not saying you should do that.
I'm not at all saying you should do that because I've never used this plant at all, internally or externally. But I just thought it was a good plant to know, to show you how to identify, so that maybe if you're out with children, you can be aware of it.
Don't let your kids play with it or chew on it or it's just a cool it's a very beautiful plant. It's a very beautiful, common plant that grows everywhere. As far as I know, it's completely safe to touch.
I touch it all the time. So learn about this plant deter. And remember that just because a plant is toxic and dangerous doesn't necessarily mean that it is absolutely without use. So have a good day, guys.
Thanks for watching. My name is Matthew Hunter. I am the founder and lead instructor at Legacy Wilderness Academy. I teach about edible plants, medicinal plants, survival skills, bushcraft, and sustainable design.
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