GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Angel's Trumpet-short lived flower?

09-08-2003, 06:02 AM

In article ,
wrote:

Anyone growing these (Brugmansia, formerly was datura
meterloides--spelled from memory)

I've got one growing (all white flower). I seeded it a bit late (May
20th) but it has grow quickly. It bloomed its first flower 3 days ago
but I only got to enjoy it for a day. The plant was wetted down from a
thunderstorm the night after the flower opened. The next day it was
drooping down, mashed closed. After that it started browning
throughout the petal tip and when I touched the 8" petal cone it
separated from the bud.

Is this normal?
Are the flowers that short lived or was this because of the rain?
Should I cut the petal-less flower base off to avoid a seed pod and
encourage more growth.

I haven't been fertilizing this much. It is growing in a pot of equal
thirds mix of composted manure, peat & perlite. I've got two more
flowers growing now on it and it looks like a bunch of branches are
starting in the V of each existing branch.

I am hoping to overwinter this plant indoors this year (it is Zone
9-10 I believe) and repot in a tub for next years growth.

....i've had angels trumpet plants for several summers....mine is a sort of
salmon pink with 8 - 10 inche trumpets that hang down and with a fragrance
that will knock your sox off at night...alas, the blooms only last a few
days but are still worth it for the impact....

.....i live in the pacific north west ( zone 6?) and grow my plants in
pots....they usually are about 4 - 5 feet tall by the end of the
summer....they are very very easy to grow from cuttings....and if i am
smart i will cut the plants back in the fall and root them then.....i move
the whole flock indoors once it gets cool at night ( october? ) and put
them in the coolest room in the house near a window....sometimes all the
leaves fall off, sometimes not...regardless, they winter fine and are one
of the least fussy plants i have ever grown....

....they like all the water and feed you can throw at them....i usually
just put in some time release pellets when i think of it...

murphy