I have posted previously about Sacred Datura (“Jimson Weed,” “Georgia O’Keefe’s Flower”). Over the last day I had the opportunity to photograph a bud just as it was barely opening at 4:23 pm yesterday (yes, that dirty yellow-green color is typical at that stage, believe it or not!), as it was beginning to unfurl at 7:28 pm last evening (already white by then), and in its full glory at 7:57 am today. It is already wilting. A short, interesting, and spectacular life.

datura bud

datura bud beginning to unfurl

fully open datura