(brug-man' see-ah)

Common name: Angel's Trumpet

Family: Solanaceae (Nightshade)

Height x width: 3-6' x 3-6'

Growth habit: tree-like, weeping flowers, woody stems

Growth rate: slow to moderate

Foliage: ovate, varies in size on the same plant. Often coarsely toothed when young, later entire. Often has a strange odor.

Flowers: stunning, trumpet-shaped flowers can be up to 20" long, pendulous; formerly in Datura this genus now restricted to those with upright flowers, primarily Datura stromonium; white, yellow, peach to reddish

Hardiness: USDA zone 9

Soil: average potting soil, well-drained

Light: full sun in north, strong filtered in south

Pests and Problems: Broad-nosed weevils, whiteflies, spider mites and scales indoors. Whiteflies can kill a small plant very quickly. Concentric rings form by virus--destroy plants if so to prevent spread.

Landscape habit, uses: Datura is a very exotic flowering plant for a warm, sunny window indoors, where space. They make large container plants in the summer on patios, or set among and within gardens. These may need to be pruned back in the fall before being brought inside due to size.

Other interest: There may be some confusion distinguishing this species from Datura. " …true daturas are short lived, herbaceous plants with smaller, more upright flowers and capsular fruits that are usually prickly (brugmansias have fleshy, unarmed fruit that may be very long and narrow)." (Botanica, 1997) Native to South America, especially the Andes. All parts of this plant are narcotic and poisonous, and are used by native peoples in South America for medicinal and narcotic uses.

Other culture: Prune untidy or lanky stems in the spring. Water well in the summer, but avoid waterlogging the roots. Water sparingly in the winter, but avoid letting the plant dry out completely. Warm in the summer (outside) and cool in the winter (above 40ºF, 5ºC).

Propagation: semi-hardwood cuttings in summer, seeds (some species and hybrids have sterile seeds which wont germinate)

Species:

• arborea (ar-bore' ee-ah)--flowers to 6 inches long, slightly pendent, white, often plants labelled as this species are in fact x candida or versicolor
• aurea (are' ee-ah)--flowers to 9 inches long, fragrant at night, white to golden yellow
• x candida (can-dee' dah)--flowers to 12 inches long, fragrants, yellow becoming white
• x insignis (in-sig' niss)--suaveolens x versicolor cross, flowers to 16 inches long, pink to white
• sanguinea (san-gwen' ee-ah)--Red Angle's Trumpet, RHS award, flowers to 9 inches long, orange-red, yellow-green at base, veined yellow
• suaveolens (swa-vee-oo' lens)--flowers to 12 inches, fragrant at night, white to sometimes pink or yellow
• versicolor (ver' si-col-or)-- flowers to 20 inches, white sometimes becoming orange

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