Known also as Jimson weed, datura plants bloom widely on the Colorado Plateau during the summer months. The large, showy blossoms open as the sun sets and release a fragrance that is a mixture of rose and lilac to attract pollinating insects. The blooms wilt with the first touch of sunlight the following day. The seeds are protected in thorny pods until they drop to the ground in early autumn as the plant dies and dries up for the year. The tuberous root sprouts a new plant the following spring and the cycle repeats. Areas colonized by the plant will frequently feature the beautiful blossoms year after year. All parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans.