23 ‘Angel trumpets’
Volume XXXINumber 1Page 23 By Paul A. ThomasUniversity of GeorgiaWhen angel trumpets (Brugmansia sanguinea) first hit themarket, folks were awed by the huge, white flowers. Soon yellows,pinks and bi-colors appeared, and sales soared. Despite the volume being sold, though, very little has beenpublished about how to grow them. A good amount of misinformationis floating about.To avoid confusion, it’s best to use the scientific and standardcultivar names. What many folks call angel trumpet is abrugmansia or a datura.Brugmansias are native to Ecuador, Peru and Columbia and growmainly on the slopes of the Andes mountains. Daturas grow inIndia, Mexico and from Texas to California.These two very closely related species are members of theSolanaceae family and are cousins of the petunia, common tobaccoand the deadly nightshade.CautionHowever beautiful they are, both are poisonous if eaten,especially the seeds and leaves. So it’s not a great gift ideafor someone with young children. However, I’ve grown them indoorsand out, with lots of pets and kids, and no one has gotten ill.Handling the plant isn’t dangerous.I recommend trying Brugmansia arborea or Brugmansiaversicolor hybrids first. Others can be more challenging.B. Arborea hybrids are commonly white with flowers thatpoint outward like an Easter lily. The plant grows upright andcan form small, tree-like branch patterns.The popular long, dangling flowers that look like bells belong tothe B. versicolor hybrids. These can be yellow, golden,peach, pink and orange. They grow upright, too, but with aspreading pattern. Both types can get quite large.EasyBrugmansias and daturas are easy to care for. With full sun andfrequent feeding with standard, soluble fertilizers, your plantswill virtually jump toward the sun.Forgetting to water doesn’t kill these tough survivors, but itdoes reduce the chance of spectacular flower displays.Brugmansias and daturas don’t like 99-degree days. If they’reallowed to dry out in that heat, they go into survival mode.Dropping lower leaves and flower buds is a good sign you’re notdoing your part. Keep them moist and fertilized. Mulch workswonders in Georgia.If you see your leaves becoming blotchy, you may have a plantinfected with a virus — specifically, tomato spotted wilt virusor tobacco mosaic virus.These are common local viruses spread by insects. Don’t dig upthe plant. Just don’t carry it over to next spring. Buying new,clean stock is always a better idea.The only thing you have to do daily is scout for hornworms. Theycan strip a plant in a few days. Brugmansia will quickly growback, though, with little loss of vigor.OverwinteringTwo strategies work for overwintering. One is to dig up theplant, trim it back to solid wood and bring it indoors. Thenstore it in the dark all winter in an unheated basement or garagethat stays in the 50s at night. Water only if soil is dry.Brugmansias tend to “go to sleep.” Just don’t let them freeze.The second approach is the one I’ve done most often. Brugmansiasdo very well in bright, south-facing windows. At this writing inFebruary, my 10-year-old son Avery has a Brugmansia arborea infull bloom.We reduce the fertility and water only when the plant starts tosag a bit. The growth isn’t spectacular, but the flowers are.In the spring, we trim off the weak growth and let the new leafbuds develop in full sun. Once these leaves are a few incheslong, we can plant it in the garden. In north Georgia, this isaround April 15. South of the Fall Line, folks plant them aroundApril 1.The American Brugmansia and Datura Society, Inc., Web site (www.abads.net) features newvarieties and other information.(Paul Thomas is a Cooperative Extension horticulturist withthe University of Georgia College of Agricultural andEnvironmental Sciences.)