Plant DetailShow Menu

Brugmansia

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
broog-MAN-zee-ah
This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
See below
Description

Angel's Trumpet is a genus of seven species of tropical evergreen shrub or small tree that could be grown as a houseplant/interiorscape or in the landscape as a cultivated woody or herbaceous shrub where hardy. Once included as a section of the genus Datura (also called Angel's trumpet), Brugmansia is now recognized as generically distinct and its own separate genus. The two are easily distinguished: Datura flowers face upward, whereas Brugmansia flowers are pendulous. It is a small tree growing 6 to 15 feet in containers and up to 35 feet in the landscape. This plant is resistant to damage by deer and is slightly salt tolerant. The plant tolerates light frost and drought. The genus name, Brugmansia, honors Sebald Justin Brugmans (1763-1819), a professor of natural history at Leiden.

Angel's Trumpet has a wide range of leaf forms and individual growth habits. It will flower continually through the growing season. The plant must reach maturity before blooming, which occurs in two stages and can take a year or more. In the first stage, the young seedling grows straight up on a single stalk to a main fork at 2 1/2 to 5 feet high. It will not flower until after it has reached this fork, and then only on new growth above the fork. The large fragrant flowers, which give the plant its common name, have a wide range of sizes, forms, shapes, and colors that can change drastically in appearance from one growing environment to the next.

Do not put the plant in full sun. It does best when there is a lot of room for roots to grow. Angel's Trumpet grows best when using lots of ‘seasoned’ water (meaning the water has sat in a bucket for at least 24 hours to let any chemicals evaporate). Do not use tap water. If you see significant wilting, have pale foliage, or your plant seems stressed or unhappy, try less sun. During the growing season, Angel's Trumpet is a heavy feeder that needs regular fertilization to stimulate new growth and flowers. This tropical plant will over-winter in North Carolina during most years if given some protection from the cold in the form of leaves or mulch pilled around the base of the plant. It will die back to the ground but will usually come back from the ground each spring.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases or insect pests; however, caterpillars, spider mites and whiteflies, can be a problem on overwintering plants.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#small tree#poisonous#houseplant#drought tolerant#white flowers#shrub#pink flowers#yellow flowers#salt tolerant#deer browsing plant#deer resistant#large flowers#frost tolerant#tropical feel#th-smell
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#small tree#poisonous#houseplant#drought tolerant#white flowers#shrub#pink flowers#yellow flowers#salt tolerant#deer browsing plant#deer resistant#large flowers#frost tolerant#tropical feel#th-smell
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Brugmansia
    Family:
    Solanaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    South America
    Distribution:
    Grown as container ornamentals worldwide.
    Wildlife Value:
    Fragrance attracts pollinating moths.
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    resistant to damage by deer and is slightly salt tolerant; tolerates light frost and drought.
    Edibility:
    Angel's Trumpet is among the most toxic of ornamental plants.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 35 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Houseplant
    Poisonous
    Shrub
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Multi-stemmed
    Multi-trunked
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    High Organic Matter
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Width:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    The fruit is 2.5 to 3.5 inches long with a round to egg-shaped appearance and hairs
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Pink
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Solitary
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Fragrant
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Funnel
    Trumpet
    Flower Size:
    > 6 inches
    Flower Description:
    Its flowers are single, pendent, trumpet-like or funnel-shaped to 1 ft. long and 5-lobed at the tip. They are white, pink or yellow.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    > 6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Description:
    Eight inch long leaves are simple and alternate. The leaf is ovate shaped and entire to coarsely toothed. Leaf forms vary.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    It has softly hairy young stems
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Houseplants
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Flowering Tree
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Hummingbirds
    Moths
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Salt
    Problems:
    Poisonous to Humans
    Problem for Children
  • Poisonous to Humans:
    Poison Severity:
    High
    Poison Symptoms:
    TOXIC ONLY IF LARGE QUANTITIES EATEN. This plant is poisonous through ingestion and/or inhalation of flowers. The poisonous parts are the flowers, leaves, and seeds. Poisonous symptoms may include the following: hallucinations, dry mouth, muscle weakness, increased blood pressure and pulse, fever, dilated pupils, paralysis.
    Poison Toxic Principle:
    Atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine
    Causes Contact Dermatitis:
    No
    Poison Part:
    Flowers
    Leaves
    Seeds