How to Grow Angel Trumpet Flowering Shrub

About Angel Trumpet Flowers

People love Angel’s Trumpet flowers. This flowering shrub has attractive, and very fragrant flowers. While you may think of it as a tree, Brugmansia is really a flowering perennial shrub. Most people view it as a tree, because the recommended way to grow it for maximum blooms, is in the form of a tree. Native to South America, this perennial shrub can grow up to 20 feet tall. When growing Angel Trumpet flowers, it is important to keep in mind that this is a toxic plant.

Angel Trumpet is a highly attractive and popular flowering plant. It has trumpet-shaped blooms, in a variety of colors including white, peach, pink, yellow, and orange. Hummingbirds are attracted to the bright, trumpet-shaped blooms.

Did you Know? Brugmansia was named after Sebald Justin Brugmans, a Natural History professor in Holland.

Angel Trumpet Plant Specifics

Botanical Name: Brugmansia

Flower Colors: Orange, peach, pink, white, and yellow.

Flower Blooms: Summer

Plant height: 6 to 35 feet tall, depending upon variety.

Light Requirements: Full sun

Ideal Soil pH: 5.5 – 7.0.

Plant Hardiness Zones: 9 – 11

Native To: South America

Toxicity: The flowers and leaves are extremely toxic to humans and pets.

Other Names: Trumpet of Death, Angel of Death

Perennial

Angel Trumpet is a Highly Toxic Plant

Angel’s Trumpet is a member of the Nightshade family. It includes tomatoes, potatoes, and petunias. All parts of the plant are toxic. It is recommended that gardeners and homeowners use gloves when working with this plant.

Historically, it has been used as a hallucinogenic drug. It is a dangerous drug, that has caused many deaths, especially from teenagers experimenting with it after hearing rumors about its hallucinogenic powers. It is most often ingested in the form of tea.

If you have children or pets, we strongly recommend you seriously consider the risks before growing this plant.

Perennial Angel Trumpet Medicinal Uses

As mentioned previously, this is a highly toxic plant. However, as with many toxic plants, the medical community has found several medicinal uses for it.

It has been used to treat asthma.

An ointment made from the plant is used to treat burns and arthritic pain. Ancient South American cultures also used it for a variety of topical applications, including aches and pains, skin irritations, infections and inflammation.

It is also used as an illegal recreational drug. It induces hallucinations and euphoria.

Angel Trumpet Plant Propagation

Angel’s Trumpet is grown from seeds. Sow seeds directly into your flower garden after all danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed.

Plant seeds 1/4″ deep.

The plant can also be propagated by cuttings. While pruning your plant, take some of them and root ’em in the water!.

How to Grow Angel Trumpet Brugmansia Flower Plants

Angel Trumpet flowers are easy to grow. They prefer full sun but will tolerate partial shade.

The plants grow best in damp weather conditions, with warm days and cool nights.

While the shrubs grow well in almost any soil, they grow their best in rich soil to fuel their fast growth. Mix a healthy dose of compost into the soil before planting.

Plants like a lot of water and nutrients. Keep soil moist. Add general-purpose fertilizer when planting, and every two to three weeks during the season. Switch to a high-phosphorous formula just before the blooming period.

Angel Trumpet Flowers are often grown in pots. Make sure to use a big container for this big, fast-growing plant. You may need to water it daily during hot, dry weather.

Keep the areas weeded when plants are young. A layer of mulch will keep weeds down, and create a neat appearance. The mulch also helps to feed the big appetite of this plant.

Pruning Angel Trumpet Plants

The trick to maximizing blooms on your Angel’s Trumpet is to prune it often. Pruning your Brugmansia bush into a tree shape creates the most frequently desired appearance. Begin to prune the plant when the main trunk forms the first “Y”. Then, prune older branches, or stems, to encourage the plant to produce more branches. Flowers will eventually appear on the terminal ends of the stems.

Insect Problems

A wide variety of insect pests like this shrub. Among them are aphids, cabbage worms, cucumber beetles, fungus gnats, mealy bugs, slugs and snails, and spider mites,

Treat with insecticidal soap or neem oil, as needed.