By Paul A. Thomas
University of Georgia
With the fast-rising popularity of angel trumpets, many gardeners
are wanting to start propagating them. But surprisingly little is
written about how to do it.
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For the record, brugmansias, which most people know as angel
trumpets, and some of the closely related daturas are very easy
to propagate. The trick is to know when to cut and what to use as
cuttings.
Cuttings are best taken in June and July. The trick is to take
cuttings from branched stems.
Straight stems will lead to tall plants that bloom late in the
summer — maybe. Branched stems are “mature” and will bloom a few
weeks after you establish them in the garden.
Root cuttings
You can root cuttings in a mix of peat and sand kept moist. Or,
place 4-inch to 6-inch stems in a glass of water, just as you
would an African violet leaf.
They root rather fast. Even large stems can be rooted in 5-gallon
buckets. Once you’ve transplanted them to pots or the garden,
they’ll need a few weeks of shade to develop extensive roots.
Slowly expose them to more sun, and your brugmansias will be
poised to take off.
Seeds, though, are another matter.
Remember that like most plants, seedlings will vary from the
adult. Brugmansia seeds are weird-looking things, similar to a
flat bark chip. Pealing off the brown covering speeds germination
but requires a bit of skill.
Be careful
Wear gloves when you do this, or at least wash your hands right
after processing the seeds. Both brugmansias and daturas are
poisonous if eaten, especially the seeds and leaves. Handling the
plant isn’t dangerous in itself.
Daturas germinate slowly and irregularly, and you’ll need
patience. Both species require warm, moist soil conditions to
germinate. It will take at least one summer season, and sometimes
longer, to see the first flowers.
To learn more about brugmansias and daturas, visit the American
Brugmansia and Datura Society Web site (www.abads.net).
(Paul Thomas is a Cooperative Extension horticulturist with
the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences.)
