Through the Garden Gate with a Victorian Exotic: Angel’s Trumpet

Close your eyes and say “Victorian garden” out loud. Is it a romantic image of climbing roses and sweet-faced pansies that you see? Perhaps a potted fern or tussie mussie brimming with violets? Now what about the pampas grass, castor bean and banana plants? Hmm… I thought not.

Victorians loved the bold, the big and the dramatic in their gardens. The invention of the portable greenhouse, called the Edwardian case, had increased the palette of plant possibilities by the mid-19th century and specimens from Australia, South America and Africa became readily available. The Victorians went crazy for the exotic.

If you are also moved by a strong desire for the exotic; one blessed with more than its usually allotted share of old-fashioned presence and style, I yell at you, “Brugmansia!”

Brugmansia was discovered in South America by Alexander Von Humboldt and Aime Bonpland in the early 19th century. All five species belong to the Solanaceae family. Narcotic and hallucinogenic compounds make all parts of the Brugmansia extremely poisonous to humans.

More commonly known as Angel Trumpet, this attractive plant has absolutely everything drama-loving gardeners, past or present, could want. It is hauntingly beautiful with generous amounts of pendulous bell-shaped fleshy flowers that reach twenty inches in length. The flowers are especially fragrant in the evening hours and even more so during a full moon.

It is perfect as a specimen planting or when mixed with other plants in your landscape. Happy in full sun or part shade, it will stretch four to six feet in one summer. And, while tropical, Angel Trumpets can survive further north. The leaves can drop in a cold snap and the stems will freeze in temperatures below 27°, but new growth can be counted on in spring.

Don’t want to leave those things to chance? In that case, place your angel trumpet in a large container that can be moved inside during the winter months.

It can be difficult to grow from seed and will certainly require the most patient gardeners, but it grows easily from cuttings and is a treasure to receive. Start new plants by taking a 4-6″ cutting of mature growth with clearly visible “nubbies” and small white spots. Cut above a Y where new branches would form and remove all but the smallest leaves. Place the cutting in a glass container filled with room temperature water.

Once rooted, plant in a pot and spot 2-4″ in dappled shade, only fertilizing once you see definite signs of new growth. By the end of the second week, your angel’s trumpet should be ready for more direct light and by four to five weeks ready for transplanting into your garden or 1-3 container, and water lightly only as needed.

While Victorian gardeners were very fond of the ghostly white flowers of B Suaveolansthe following cultivars would surely have pleased them and probably will please you too.

-Charles Grimaldi: medium-sized with flowers that open lemon yellow and mature to deep pumpkin

-Juan Pasco: One of the largest flowering cultivars with pale pink flowers up to 12″ across.

– Pink Badges: A vigorous grower with light pink apple blossoms.

-Dr Seuss: If you’re only going to have one, this might be your pick: a heavy, extremely fragrant bloomer. The huge yellow flowers mature into a pale orange sherbet.

If it piques your interest, look up the book Brugmansias and Daturas by Ulrike Preissel, or visit AmericanBrugmansia-DaturaSociety.org for more information. Now you are ready to jump into the world of Brugmansia’s!