Are red spider lilies and datura the same flower? A look at the meanings behind both

Today a flower enthusiast left a comment asking how to tell red spider lilies and datura apart as quickly as possible. The reason so many people get stuck trying to identify them is mostly that they have a similarly showy appearance, especially when the red variety of the red spider lily (manjusaka) is placed next to certain varieties of datura, making them even harder to tell apart visually. Let's take a look below at how to tell these two flowers apart as quickly as possible.

Differences in leaf shape

If you put the leaves of the red spider lily and datura side by side, you can tell them apart. First, the red spider lily has relatively slender leaves that are comparatively narrow, so in early summer they will normally drop off. Datura leaves are rounder in shape and a bit wider than red spider lily leaves, with shallow tooth-like notches along the leaf edges.

Differences in flower form

After the red spider lily and datura bloom, their flowers are very beautiful. The red spider lily's flower is bell-shaped, and its blooming period is usually from late summer to autumn; after opening, the petals curl outward, somewhat like a bent needle, and usually 4-6 flowers appear in a cluster. They are generally mostly red, and there is also a white variety called manjusaka. Datura flowers are sometimes funnel-shaped and sometimes trumpet-shaped; the flowers are larger, giving a feeling of openness and boldness, and their blooming period is generally around August each year, with petal colors roughly yellow-white.

Different symbolic meanings

Besides the differences in leaf shape and general flower appearance, the red spider lily and datura also differ clearly in their flower meanings. The red spider lily's flower meaning is "mutual longing" or "love that cannot meet", while datura's flower meaning is more often given as "mystery" and "fantasy"; it represents hope and death, and the meanings of both are not exactly auspicious.

Overall, by observing differences in leaf shape, especially the shape, width and vein structure, as well as the flower meanings, you can fairly easily tell the red spider lily and datura apart. When identifying them in the field, if you can combine the flower's shape, size and color, along with the plant's overall form, the identification will be even more accurate.