Dan's Papers - August 3, 2007 - The Garden At Rock Cottage by Lance Brilliantine

Throughout Central and South America, tourists happen upon clutches of a magnificent plant with down-turned, trumpet flowers. The flowers may be in white, yellow, pink, orange or red, and literally cover the plant. The plant has, over the century, been associated with fantasy, mystery and awe, and is used in native ritual. Because of its beauty, the plant frequently appears in summer gardens in the Northeast.

This plant is called the "Angel's Trumpet" or Brugmansia. It is sometimes confused with a close cousin, named Datura, but the plants are really quite different. For example, Brugmansia has pendulous, down-hanging flowers and is a perennial, woody plant. Datura species are herbaceous and have erect flowers. But both cousins have characteristics that are similar.

Brugmansia is a genus of six species of flowering plants in the plant family Solanaceae. The plants are native to the subtropical regions of South America, along the Andes from Colombia to northern Chile, and southeastern Brazil. It is also frequently seen growing in the wild as far north as northern Mexico, throughout Southern California and Florida.

The plants are typically large shrubs or small trees that can reach a height of 30 feet. The leaves are alternate, fairly large (five-inches to 12-inches long and up to eight inches wide) and have a coarsely toothed margin that is covered in fine hairs. The Daturas are more frequently seen in Mexico and Central America, and are also considered indigenous to Australia.

The name "Angel's Trumpet" refers to the large, dramatic, pendulous, trumpet-shaped flowers that can be up to 18 inches long and as much as 12 inches across at the wide end. The flowers have a delicate, beckoning scent that has light, lemony overtones - more noticeable in the early evening than at other times.

This family of plants contains the deadly nightshades and potatoes, as well as other well-known plants, e.g., eggplant, mandrake, belladonna, capsicum (paprika and chili pepper), tobacco, tomato and petunia. The family is an important source of foods, spices, medicines and tobacco.

Depending on the species, some of the Solanaceae plants contain a rich supply of alkaloids that can range in their toxicity to humans and animals from mildly irritating to fatal, even in small quantities.

All parts of the Brugmansia are considered toxic - so the plant is not a good choice in gardens where children, pets, or experimenting, curious teenagers live. In India, the plant is sometimes ingested for recreational or shamanic intoxication. The plant contains the tropane alkaloids scopolamine and atropine. The cultivated plants produce a higher percentage of the alkaloids. Because it is impossible to predict the potency of the toxic compounds in a plant, the degree of intoxication is unpredictable and can be fatal. Despite the danger, ritualized Brugmansia consumption is an important aspect of the shamanic complexes among many Indigenous peoples of western Amazonia.

Brugmansia are easy to grow in moist, fertile, well-drained soil. They thrive in full sun to part shade. The plant is offered at this time of year in most nurseries on the East End.

Most of the Brugmansias can be easily propagated by taking cuttings from the end of a branch during summer (lengths of 5 inches to 8 inches). The cuttings root easily in moist sand or loam.

A few cultivars to look for include: B. candida that produces beautiful white, yellow, orange, or pink flowers; B. insignis producing white or peach flowers; B. versicolor with flowers that start off white and turn salmon. There are also cultivars that produce double flowers and variegated leaves.

Angel's Trumpet is a wonderful addition to the summer deck where its light fragrance and beautiful, ongoing late summer blooms will capture attention. The plant is highly recommended!