Aha! It looks like this plant is somehow related to jimsonweed and datura, and is called “brugmansia”. You may recall the other article I found a month or two ago, wherein a few boys in the South supposedly suffered toxic shock after ingesting tea made from jimsonweed.

It appears that Daturas have always played a significant role as ‘culture plants’ and evidence regarding their uses both in Asia and in the New World dates back at least 3000 years. In both hemispheres Daturas were regarded as sacred and especially valued for their power to induce visionary dreams, to see the future and to reveal the causes of disease and misfortune.

More cool stuff…

The Shamans and Brujos of the New World know how to use the plant for astral travel. In this context Datura not only provides a visionary journey but also facilitates the shape-shifting process. Transformations into birds seem to be especially closely associated with the shamanic use of Datura.

…Among some tribes of the Sibundoy region Brugmansia is mixed in with the dog-food as part of an ancient hunting magic ritual. It is believed that in this way the dogs too will partake in the visionary powers of the plant which will help them to ’see’ the prey more easily.

Carlos Castaneda learned about Datura from his mentor Don Juan. The wise old brujo was never too fond of the ‘devil’s weed’, claiming its power was like that of a woman. “She is as powerful as the best of allies, but there is something I personally don’t like about her.” he tells his pupil, “She distorts men. She gives them a taste of power too soon without fortifying their hearts and makes them domineering and unpredictable. She makes them weak in the middle of their great power.”

Hm, you know what I just realized? I really like plant lore, especially in terms of the magical/ritual/medicinal uses of plants. It’s fucking incredible. I need to learn more about this. Maybe I can find somebody wise to teach me while I am out ‘discovering America’.

HOLY SHIT! They talk about how this plant was mixed with other shit to induce zombification!!!!!!!!

The use of Datura as a magical plant was and probably still is also common in the Caribbean. There it is known as ‘herbe aux sorciers’ (herb of the sorcerers) and ‘concombre-zombi’ (Zombie-Cucumber). This name refers to a rather sinister use of the plant - literally zombification. Delinquents in particular became the victims of this practice. Criminals who did not seem to improve their records upon other means of punishment sometimes were turned into Zombies. A strong herbal brew containing, among other plants, Datura combined with the extremely potent extract of the puffer-fish poison (d-tubucucurine) was given to the criminal. The effect of the brew was to stupefy the convict to the point of pseudo-coma and to numb his physical sensations. In this state a person is unable to respond to any kind of stimulus, although they may well be consciously aware of them. The Zombie-to-be was declared dead and placed into a coffin with an attached air-tube and a funeral ceremony was conducted. After 3 days or so the coffin was retrieved from the ground and the Zombie was given another dose of Datura followed by an ‘initiation into the after-life’, in which he was brainwashed in accordance with the rules of the new order. From that day on he was given regular doses of the Datura concoction to maintain the hypnotic state. The spirit of the victim was thus literally forced to get out and stay out of the body and the Zombie lost all sense of self or ego-identity.

This article and this plant are really incredible! Whoo! There’s some other cool shit in here too…

In China it was customary to mix Datura with Cannabis and wine. According to ancient tradition it is said that if the person gathering the plant was laughing at the time, all who would drink from it would also laugh but if the gatherer had been crying, all that were to taste the wine would also cry and if they had been dancing, all that were to partake in it would also feel like dancing.

Huh! Wow, they even talk about how the plant sometimes induces hallucinations of a sexual nature:

Self-experimentation is not recommended and must be strictly avoided by anyone who suffers any kind of heart condition. The effects are stimulating on the central nervous system and simultaneously depressing on the peripheral nerves. Symptoms include an increased heart rate, drying up of the mucus membranes, a dry throat and sometimes cramps. At first the effects are arousing, sometimes manifesting as uncontrolled talking or laughing, forgetfulness and indulging in senseless repetitive activities. Vivid hallucinations and delirious illusions may also occur. Occasionally the effects can produce extreme violence and destructive urges. The period of agitation is usually followed by a deep prolonged sleep accompanied with vivid dreams and hallucinations, often of a sexual nature.