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Disposal of Poisonous Plants #910710

Asked July 21, 2025, 1:31 PM EDT

I have what I think is jimsonweed, and if that is correct I would like to remove the plants from where they are located. (I have attached pictures of the plant in question.) What guidance can you give me about disposal of the plants? I am leery of burning them, but I don't know what else to do with them once they are removed from the ground.

Kalamazoo County Michigan

Expert Response

You are correct, I do believe that is jimsonweed (Datura stramonium). Even though jimsonweed is only toxic when ingested and shouldn't cause a reaction simply through contact, to be on the safe side, wear gloves, long sleeves, long plants and closed toed shoes when handling. Composting or burning are not recommended forms of disposal from what I can tell, since that could release the toxic alkaloids. The toxic will also still be present in any dried plant material. The recommended disposal method is to double bag the plants and dispose of them in the municipal waste. You could pull them or spray to remove, but they they should be bagged and go in the trash.

Here are couple of resources about the plant:

https://extension.wvu.edu/lawn-gardening-pests/weeds/jimsonweed

https://www.canr.msu.edu/weeds/extension/jimsonweed

Thank you for your question! Replied July 24, 2025, 2:46 PM EDT

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