Angel Trumpet Flower

An angel trumpet plant is categorized under the genus name Brugmansia of the family Solanaceae, thus sharing family with petunia, capsicum and tomatoes. The same genus comprises seven flowering plant species, all of which are known by the common name, angel's trumpet. Native to tropical regions, these plants are garden delights, bearing showy blooms in large numbers. The only concern about angel trumpet flower is its poisonous nature, which requires you to take extra care while growing it indoors or outdoors. No wonder, angel trumpet meaning is separation.

From the name itself, you can visualize what this flower looks like. It is large (about 20-50 cm long and 10-35 cm across) and trumpet shape. Very often, angel trumpet flower is used to relegate blooms of the closely related genus Datura. The main difference between the genera brugmansia and datura is their growth habit, in which the former exhibits a woody, shrubbery or tree habitat; whereas the latter is a herbaceous bush. Another distinguishing character is flower, which is pendulous in brugmansia and erect (non-pendulous) in datura. Also, the fruits of brugmansia are non-spiny, while that of datura are covered with spines.

How to Grow and Care for Angel Trumpet?

The angel trumpet plants are best grown in outdoor gardens, where they are allowed to grow naturally without altering their growth form. Being hardy varieties, you can also maintain them as houseplants in indoor conditions. However, in the latter case, extra care should be taken so that your pets do not ingest any of the plant parts. Other than this, angel trumpet flower care is easy and requires less effort. Refer to the guidelines mentioned below in order to maintain healthy angel trumpets.

Growing Site - Zones 9-11 are excellent for growing angel trumpet plants. If you are residing in other zones, maintain them indoors to protect plants from extreme climatic conditions. Coming to appropriate plantation site, areas that receive full sun are ideal for cooler zones; while for warmer zones, partial shaded sites are best.

Select Variety - Angel trumpets are available in shades of white, yellow, peach, pink, orange and red. And the plants grow to a height of approximately 3-11 m. They are propagated by means of seeds and cuttings. As per your choice, you can purchase angel trumpet seeds or plant cuttings for planting in garden or pots.

Soil Requirements - While preparing garden soil or potting media for growing angel trumpet plants, ensure that the soil pH fall within the acidic range. They can tolerate slightly alkaline soil, but not brackish type. Also, the soil should be fertile, well-drained and moist (not wet) for optimal growth of angel trumpet plants.

Temperature - Since the natural habitat of angel trumpet flower is tropical climate, it is best adapted in warm environmental conditions (above 35 degrees F). It can tolerate mild frosting for a short period. But if you fail to protect an angel trumpet plant from heavy frosting, it will die back slowly. Plants with healthy roots may re-sprout in next year.

Angel Trumpet Care - Angel trumpet plants are not drought tolerant; accordingly you need to water them on a regular basis. Supplementing the soil with a good water-soluble fertilizer will promote healthy growth of the plants. You can trim your angel trumpet plants annually to control their shape. Make plantlets on your own by rooting stem cuttings in soil.

Grow angel trumpet plant in flower garden or containers and enjoy the sweet fragrance of these attractive blooms. The hardiness may vary from one cultivar to another. You can ask your local horticulturist about the species that adapt well in the prevailing environmental conditions in your area. If you live in warmer climatic areas, you are lucky to appreciate the beauty of angel trumpet flower throughout the year.