Here they'll live a couple of years on average. Don't have a clue about overwintering though. Since they do live longer here seems like you could overwinter it. Mine are around 5' tall though so would be hard to find them a winter home. Tally HO!

I'm sure you could overwinter it with grow lights or maybe a south facing window if you've got one. Just may have to fight spider mites (can mist to keep humidity up). Remember that datura are poisonous if you have pets or small children in the house-be careful.
You can get blooms from seed if you start them early. It sometimes takes datura awhile to sprout from seed and then they have to get big enough to get blooms by the end of summer. They will live here for quite a few years if they are shelter from frost-like under a rose bush- but of course reseed like crazy anyhow. I haven't tried overwintering in the house but I don't see why you couldn't people in cold climates overwinter all kinds of tropicals.

Thank you so much!
I was hoping that maybe it would be a real perennial, more like a brugmansia. I guess I won't bother to save them. I did start the ones I have from seeds, and it was really easy.

Valentina

I think it would be best to start new plants from seed. I have read that Datura inoxia and wrightii can be over wintered and will perform very well the following year but nothing was mentioned of Datura metel and its hybrids. I think you would get much better growth and flowering from seed started plants.

Thank you Mike. I have decided to start new plants every spring. I guess it is easier anyway than to dig those huge plants out and bring them inside.

Valentina

Hi Valentina, I grew up in central oklahoma where it gets extremely hot in the summer & fairly cold in the winter. My Father dug up a Moonflower,(Datura),from the side of the road. Mother planted it on the south side of our house & it has come up from the root for over 45 years! I didn't realize that you normally have to replant every year untill I started growing them myself. I always save the seeds just in case they don't come up on their own. I didn't get one plant this year! It was a REAL BUMMER!

Valentina, you said: ( Quote)
"I was hoping that maybe it would be a real perennial, more like a brugmansia."

In your location, Brugmansia are not any more perennial than Datura. In any zone where frost gets into the ground more than a couple of inches deep, they too must be dug up and wintered indoors.

dragonroost, very sorry to hear that your datura gave up on you :( This is the first time I hear that datura is a perennial. I mean I knew that it lives only a couple of years or so.
But anyway, I think for me it's better to just start new plants every year, because our winters here in Wisconsin are so long... I would actually have to overwinter the plants for about 7 months or so. And considering how fast they are growing from seed, I don't think it is worth the effort.

Ruth_Ann, I know these plants are not hardy here. But it's my understanding that it is worth saving brugmansias, because they do act like perennials (if they are overwintered here, of course) and flower faster if they are bigger than a seedling in spring...

Valentina