This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On 08/11/2013 19:14, sacha wrote:
This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.

Did you try hot water for a short time (20 seconds) then straight into cold?

On 2013-11-08 19:30:53 +0000, David Hill said:

On 08/11/2013 19:14, sacha wrote:
This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.

Did you try hot water for a short time (20 seconds) then straight into cold?

I didn't try anything! ;-) I doubt these would have survived because
they had so little stem on them. I'll remember that trick though,
thanks, David.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

"sacha" wrote ...

This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two were
from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged and one
was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into water to see
if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were consigned to the
rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I cannot begin to
describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates the kitchen now. And
this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in the bin.

I remember in Malaya being in a cafe where they had a line of Brugmansia
trees (at 6ft I could easily stand under them) outside and the perfume ,
even during the day, was intoxicating
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

On 2013-11-08 22:46:20 +0000, Bob Hobden said:

"sacha" wrote ...

This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.

I remember in Malaya being in a cafe where they had a line of
Brugmansia trees (at 6ft I could easily stand under them) outside and
the perfume , even during the day, was intoxicating

It's quite extraordinarily powerful and as it's (usually) strongest at
5pm or thereabouts here, I imagine they're moth pollinated? Do you
happen to know. I expect the scent was so strong this morning because
we were in a relatively small space but also because of the house's
warmth.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

Googling Brugmansia pollination gives the answer pretty quickly ;-)

But in general, scent = insect rather than bird or wind.
Light colours showing up well in the evening plus evening scent = moth.

Meanwhile, there's a red flowered scentless Brugmansia which, as you'd expect, is bird pollinated.

On 2013-11-08 22:46:20 +0000, Bob Hobden said:

"sacha" wrote ...

This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.

I remember in Malaya being in a cafe where they had a line of
Brugmansia trees (at 6ft I could easily stand under them) outside and
the perfume , even during the day, was intoxicating

At least you recognised them! In 1984 I was on holiday in Majorca and
didn't recognise a rubber tree because it was so enormous. I'd only
seen them as pot plants! I thought it *looked* like a rubber tree but
obviously I couldn't possibly be right, not for something that height!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

"sacha" wrote ...

Bob Hobden said:

"sacha" wrote ...

This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.

I remember in Malaya being in a cafe where they had a line of Brugmansia
trees (at 6ft I could easily stand under them) outside and the perfume ,
even during the day, was intoxicating

At least you recognised them! In 1984 I was on holiday in Majorca and
didn't recognise a rubber tree because it was so enormous. I'd only seen
them as pot plants! I thought it *looked* like a rubber tree but obviously
I couldn't possibly be right, not for something that height!

Yes we saw some in India the size of a large oak and did a double take, so
different from the normal house plant.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"sacha" wrote in message
...
This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged and
one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into water to
see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were consigned to the
rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I cannot begin to
describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates the kitchen now.
And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in the bin.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon


I brought ours in in full flower two days ago and the scent is filling the
whole house whenever we open the conservatory door


--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 2013-11-08 22:56:58 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

"sacha" wrote in message
...
This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon


I brought ours in in full flower two days ago and the scent is filling
the whole house whenever we open the conservatory door

Yes, there's a huge specimen of 'Sunset' in flower in the largest
greenhouse and it's a knockout, scent even in that much space. In a
small room, like my study, it was nearly too much altogether.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 08/11/2013 19:14, sacha wrote:
This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.

Next time retrim the flower stems with the sharpest possible tool whilst
holding the cut ends under water. Chances are you got air sucked into
the xylem when they were cut off the plant = rapid expiry.

I haven't tried it on brugsmania, but I know it is the recommended
method of cutting flowers for ikebana to maximise lifetime.

The perfume off the best ones is almost hypnotic and can fill the
greenhouse in the evenings. ISTR they were once used to perfume luxury
soap in the days before synthetic chemistry.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

On 2013-11-09 10:08:46 +0000, Martin Brown said:

On 08/11/2013 19:14, sacha wrote:
This morning, Ray came in with 3 Brugmansia flowers for me to see. Two
were from the same plant but showed the change in colour as they aged
and one was pretty consistent. I asked him to put the 3 blooms into
water to see if they'd survive but they flopped rapidly and were
consigned to the rubbish bin. They certainly don't 'pick well'! But I
cannot begin to describe the strength of their perfume as it permeates
the kitchen now. And this is while they're quietly shrivelling up in
the bin.

Next time retrim the flower stems with the sharpest possible tool
whilst holding the cut ends under water. Chances are you got air sucked
into the xylem when they were cut off the plant = rapid expiry.

I haven't tried it on brugsmania, but I know it is the recommended
method of cutting flowers for ikebana to maximise lifetime.

The perfume off the best ones is almost hypnotic and can fill the
greenhouse in the evenings. ISTR they were once used to perfume luxury
soap in the days before synthetic chemistry.

You're quite right about cutting flower stems and certainly all stems
should be cut a little before arranging because most have callused over
and won't take up water, or as you say, they have got air into them.
The scent is extremely strong, really almost hypnotic!
Today, I'm off to pick some rosemary to put on the altar for tomorrow's
Remembrance Sunday service. No poppies at this time of year, so
'rosemary for remembrance'. That seems very good-tempered about being
picked and stuck in water!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk