Brugmansia advice

looking through a catalogue I have just received from Jungle Seeds, I have fallen in love with a particular Brugmansia, which only comes in plant, not seeds. This will cost me �£11.00. Then I saw the postage - another �£7.85, total �£18.85 for one plant. This is really quite expensive, but has any had any experience of Jungle plants, and are they worth paying the extra for? Or should I be less fussy and just go for the cheapie ones down the GC for less than �£5? :confused:

 

Its up to you Honey bee, I've used them for seed but not plants and I think they are OK.
If its something special thats not available in local shops then sometimes that the only way. I assume its one of those named varieties, and you probably wont get them at the garden centre.
Can you not buy something else, that will come under the same carriage charge, that way you wont mind so much paying the postage and you get two plants. :D

 

Honey Bee
I have used them for seeds and not had very good results, other people may have. Were you aware that Brugmansia is highly toxic and so is it's relative Datura. I only mention it for safety i.e children.

 

Even the common ones are nice Honeybee. But if you do decide to lash out lots of cash on your heart's desire the good thing is that Brugs are very easily propagated from cuttings and you could have a forest of them in 2007.
RSM can be a real problem for Brugs - I've just treated ours with a biological control as the little pests have just arrived again.
As strongylodon says they are toxic. The Zombie culture in Haiti use/used the plant to induce trances.

 

Thanks Guys
After having thought about it, perhaps it really is a bit expensive, and going on my track record of killing everything and nurturing a garden of twigs, I'd better give it a miss. I did buy one from the GC last year, it didn't flower, and I think I've killed it!!
I did know about the Toxicity already, thats why I hadn't had one before. The darling little kiddie-winkies are now 8 & 10, so in theory are over the stage of eating strange things from the garden (until uni days, I expect!!!) But you know us women - never happy with the cheap option!!! :rolleyes:

 

Well, I've just "popped" down to the local Garden centre, and picked up a beautiful pale peach Brugmansia for �£3.99!!! Bit better than �£18!!
(so I also picked up a couple of Hostas for �£1.50 each, an Abutilon, a couple of geraniums, and......oh - not forgetting plant labels, totalling �£26!!) :rolleyes: .... so in hindsight, perhaps the Jungle plants weren't that expensive after all!!!!........

 

It's always the way though isn't it? You intend to get one thing, maybe two, and come back with a car boot full!

Hope your Brugmansia grows well, Honey Bee. I've never tried looking after one - are they good to grow? They seem to be good for propagation according to Dave W! :D

 

Could someone tell me how to propagate one please? I bought a small seedling one last year & kept it going over the winter in my extension & its gowing well now

Helen

 

Hi Helen
Brugmansia

They are really easy to propagate. just cut a stem off and put it in water and wait for the roots to appear, then plant it up. You have to grow it on until the stem forms a Y shape then it will flower. Good luck!
Gill

 

Helen
To propagate from a cutting -
In summer/autumn take cutting from about 2" long to anything up to 12" long. Strip most of the leaves and place in water or better still a gel pot until roots form and then pot up.
You can propagate from seed, but hybrids may not grow true to type.

You could try a cutting now, but I'm not sure how well it would work.

 

Hello Dave-i-h-g
Well, they are beautiful plants if they flower, but the one I had last year didn't flower, and I think I managed to kill it overwinter, so I wait with bated breath to see if I can actually get this one to grow...... check back in 6 months!!!!

 

I think its a bit early yet to try taking cuttings, think I would wait till at least May June time.

 

I have a cutting on my windowsill in the kitchen and it's doing fine, lots of roots.
If they are kept warm they'll carry on growing. It's only if they are in a temperature below 10c they go dormant.
The one you think you have killed should shoot up from the bottom in the summer,it's usually only the top growth that dies down. Keep feeding and watering well, these are greedy plants. When the stems form a Y at the top, this is when you'll get flowers.
Be patient these are fantastic plants to grow.
Gill