By Paul A. Thomas
University of Georgia
When angel trumpets (Brugmansia sanguinea) first hit the
market, folks were awed by the huge, white flowers. Soon yellows,
pinks and bi-colors appeared, and sales soared.
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Despite the volume being sold, though, very little has been
published about how to grow them. A good amount of misinformation
is floating about.
To avoid confusion, it’s best to use the scientific and standard
cultivar names. What many folks call angel trumpet is a
brugmansia or a datura.
Brugmansias are native to Ecuador, Peru and Columbia and grow
mainly on the slopes of the Andes mountains. Daturas grow in
India, Mexico and from Texas to California.
These two very closely related species are members of the
Solanaceae family and are cousins of the petunia, common tobacco
and the deadly nightshade.
Caution
However beautiful they are, both are poisonous if eaten,
especially the seeds and leaves. So it’s not a great gift idea
for someone with young children. However, I’ve grown them indoors
and 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 Brugmansia
versicolor hybrids first. Others can be more challenging.
B. Arborea hybrids are commonly white with flowers that
point outward like an Easter lily. The plant grows upright and
can form small, tree-like branch patterns.
The popular long, dangling flowers that look like bells belong to
the B. versicolor hybrids. These can be yellow, golden,
peach, pink and orange. They grow upright, too, but with a
spreading pattern. Both types can get quite large.
Easy
Brugmansias and daturas are easy to care for. With full sun and
frequent feeding with standard, soluble fertilizers, your plants
will virtually jump toward the sun.
Forgetting to water doesn’t kill these tough survivors, but it
does reduce the chance of spectacular flower displays.
Brugmansias and daturas don’t like 99-degree days. If they’re
allowed to dry out in that heat, they go into survival mode.
Dropping lower leaves and flower buds is a good sign you’re not
doing your part. Keep them moist and fertilized. Mulch works
wonders in Georgia.
If you see your leaves becoming blotchy, you may have a plant
infected with a virus — specifically, tomato spotted wilt virus
or tobacco mosaic virus.
These are common local viruses spread by insects. Don’t dig up
the 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. They
can strip a plant in a few days. Brugmansia will quickly grow
back, though, with little loss of vigor.
Overwintering
Two strategies work for overwintering. One is to dig up the
plant, trim it back to solid wood and bring it indoors. Then
store it in the dark all winter in an unheated basement or garage
that 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. Brugmansias
do very well in bright, south-facing windows. At this writing in
February, my 10-year-old son Avery has a Brugmansia arborea in
full bloom.
We reduce the fertility and water only when the plant starts to
sag a bit. The growth isn’t spectacular, but the flowers are.
In the spring, we trim off the weak growth and let the new leaf
buds develop in full sun. Once these leaves are a few inches
long, we can plant it in the garden. In north Georgia, this is
around April 15. South of the Fall Line, folks plant them around
April 1.
The American Brugmansia and Datura Society, Inc., Web site (www.abads.net) features new
varieties and other information.
(Paul Thomas is a Cooperative Extension horticulturist with
the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and
Environmental Sciences.)
