Sunday, February 5, 2012

Plant ABC's: B is for Brugmansia

The "ABC's of plants in my garden" series continues with Brugmansia.


There's something about those large beautiful trumpet blooms emerging from scrawny stems topped with average looking leaves that makes Brugmansia special.

That's Dr. Seuss (above) bathed in summer morning light.


This is Flamenco after an early morning rain.



At night the blossoms open wide and fill the air with the most amazing scent.  Below is Flamenco at night, the same bloom as above.



As beautiful as the flowers are, Brugmansias aren't difficult to grow at all.  They can survive neglect, but need a lot of water and fertilizer to thrive.  Sometimes I water them twice a day in the summer.

The summer of 2011 was so hot they didn't bloom until late November


A surprise winter bloom with great timing for this early February post, here is the Daybreak variety in its winter home.  A super bloom for Super Bowl Sunday 2012.


No wonder they are counted among the "stars" of my garden.


14 comments:

  1. These are gorgeous. My neighbor had one she planted from seed. I've always admired it.

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    1. Thank you RW, they sprout easily from cuttings too.

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  2. Beautiful. I had one, but it was in a terrible place, so I eventually killed it. :( I need to get another, I just don't know where to put it! What a fun surprise to find a bloom on this plant in February!

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    1. They are so beautiful I hope you do find another place for them. No direct sun, plenty of food and water and winter protection is all they need.

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  3. Love your Brugmansia--they're such luscious and dramatic blooms.

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  4. You do have some gorgeous Brugs. The colours are terrific. I'm growing my first ever Brug at the moment, but it's still a little baby. I'm looking forward to seeing it bloom for the first time.

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    1. Brugs are perfect for your garden Bernie and I'm looking forward to seeing the photos of your first bloom. You might get a winter bloom in your climate too.

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  5. Those are beautiful.
    I planted one, a couple years ago. It was outside the fence...the deer ate it to the ground. Haven't tried another one again....yet.

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  6. I've heard the deer in the hill country will eat many things they don't bother here in town and that's certainly been your experience.

    The deer nibbled plants all around that brug in the first photo but never touched the brug.

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  7. This is one of my FAVORITES to have around in pots here in Tucson. Most excellent plant indeed:)

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    1. They are great in pots and one of the few exceptions i make to low water use plants.

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  8. I grew one of these many years ago, when they were known as Datura. It was never very happy, and it gave up the ghost before it flowered. I don't think I fed it enough to be honest. In fact, I don't think I fed it at all.

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  9. Give them another try, they are so beautiful. I feed weekly during growing season, alternating fertilizer with Epsom Salts. You would need to bring them in during winter in your area. They also need to be renewed by planting cuttings which root easily.

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