Hyoscyamus insanus-The origin story

Back in 2021, when I was just getting started with the Solanaceae family, I was doing lots of research on more obscure plants, Mandragora caulescens, Przewalskia tangutica, Brugmansia culebra, and of course, Hyoscyamus insanus.

I saw the infamous picture of the flowering stand in Pakistan and began my search. After scouring the internet, I found no online shops selling seeds. It was then that I began making Facebook and Reddit posts on my personal account, asking botany groups if anyone could collect wild seed-but with no luck. Even after reaching out to other vendors with an interest in nightshades, I realized everyone wanted it, but nobody had it.

I then started messaging Pakistani and Indian locals, asking if they could collect seed from any wild plants. Out of the ~25 people I reached out to, the botanist who had taken the stunning photo I mentioned earlier was willing to help. One year after beginning my search, Nazar Khan collected seed from the plant and posted thousands of wild seeds to me.

They then spent about three months in the mail, from Pakistan to Canada, during which I thought they may have been lost in transit. Upon receiving them, many of the seeds were underdeveloped and not ripe, a concern Nazar had warned me about before sending. I was willing to take the chance, as even one viable seed out of the thousands could grow into a self-pollinating plant. I then began the journey of cultivation.

That very first year, I sowed the seeds directly into a rich, well-draining potting mix in my greenhouse and waited eagerly. After sowing hundreds of seeds, I didn’t get a single sprout and lost most of my hope. At the end of the season, I moved all my plants to my indoor greenhouse and halfheartedly tossed a pinch of seed at the base of a Tabernanthe iboga plant I had growing. One week later, a small sprout appeared. I transplanted it to its own pot, which sadly died — but it gave me hope again.

The following spring, I started seeds in a richer, more organic substrate and kept it moist. I had five plants come up in my greenhouse. These grew rapidly but, looking back, they were tall and spindly. I had no flowers that year, but managed to bring them indoors. They struggled heavily in my grow tent. My largest plant developed a fungal infection at the midpoint of the main stem. After cutting it back to the root, it began to form a thick, succulent rosette. The growth was so dense that, even with a fan circulating air for 12 hours a day, each plant developed a fungal infection at the base. Right as flower buds began to form, the entire plant would perish. I knew it had to be grown outdoors.

I then started a new batch in an improved soil mix, indoors right before the last frost. I moved them to a patch of cement in my garden that gets intense afternoon sun and plenty of airflow. All my plants developed fungal infections once again. After treating the infection, I nearly gave up — even considering sending my remaining seed to an enthusiast in a hotter, drier climate. Surprisingly, my treatment worked well, and the plants began to grow in a much more familiar shape, similar to H. muticus. Flower buds started forming, and on July 1st, 2025, the first bloom opened. A beautiful purple and white flower emerged. Mixed with the succulent green foliage, this is, in my opinion, the most stunning Hyoscyamus species.

After many failed attempts, learned lessons and the help of Nazar, I am incredibly proud to share this species with the world, coming Fall 2025.