Friday, May 15, 2020

Angel Trumpets

Mottled leaf / White Flowered Variety


Angel trumpet (Brugmansia) is tropical plant native from Venezuela to Peru (USDA hardiness zones 7-b to 10). Plants have shown to be surprising hardy outdoors in zone 6-b in protected sites. 

This beautiful shrub, often trained as a tree, may reach heights of 6-10 feet before cold weather arrives in the fall. It is a member of the Solanaceae family which includes tomato, potato, petunia, nicotiana and other great garden plants. 

Angel trumpets are highly prized for their enormous fragrant trumpet-shaped flowers, some 10 inches or more in length. The exotic flowers emit a strong lemony scent over the evening hours. Blooms are pollinated by moths. Flower colors range from white, orange, yellow, and pink. Some varieties exhibit variegated foliage.

If you live in a northerly area, purchase angel trumpet in early spring and grow the new plant indoors to get it well-established. Move it outdoors after the threat of frost has passed. Plant angel trumpet in a large 12-16 inch (or wider) container in well-drained potting soil (media). If you live in a mild temperate climate, plant directly into a garden bed in a well-drained soil and keep well mulched. You may want to place the heavy container on a dolly to move it around to different locations of the garden.

This fast growing plant demands lots of water, but it fails when over-watered. Keep soil moist and let soil dry out between waterings. Fertilize monthly with a water-soluble fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro®, Peters®, and Schultz®. In the summer, when plant growth is more rapid and most blooms form, feed every two weeks according to package directions. Cut back on fertilizing in fall and do not feed over winter.

In northerly areas, bring angel trumpet(s) inside as outdoor temperatures drop below 40°F. If you garden where winters are mild, protect by setting poles around it and wrap with milky white plastic. You may opt to cut back entire plant to the ground and mulch heavily to protect the crown during winter.

Occasionally snip off old spent flowers, and spur new growth. A container plant can be cut to the ground for winter. Beware: sap from this plant is highly poisonous when ingested by humans, pets, or livestock.
For a large selection of angel trumpet hybrids, shop on-line at Plant Delights Nursery in Raleigh, NC.
Pink variety



No comments:

Post a Comment