brugmansia

hi can anyone tell me when is the right time to take cuttins

 

Grinch - in late March this year, while we were away on holiday our son put our brug which had been in the porch outside as it had developed red spider mite. We came home to a denuded brug so I took a cutting popped it in the propagator and we've now got a 4 foot tall plant which flowered well over the summer. The parent plant eventually recovered and also flowered, though a bit later than it might have done otherwise.
I think, though I'm not certain, that the original plant was grown from a cutting that I rooted in October.

 

Yes, it could well have been from a cutting as brugmansias are very easy to propagate, and don't they grow at an amazing speed!
I've just brought mine in for the winter and I've found that I get occasional flowers all year. A lovely plant!

 

hi, is the brugmansia the same as datura? sorry for showing my ignorance but I seem to see pics of both with the same flower, I'm really keen to grow one "Angels Trumpets" I think are the common name for them.

 

Webmaster they do have a winter cut back and it should be before they get hit with frost if they are outside cut them back to about 6" off the soil mulch them well and hope we don't get a hard winter, I bring all mine inside for winter some are all ready in pots the others I dig the up and pot them do the same with them cut them back cut the stems into 5-6" pieces and either pot them in compost, rootgell or water all methods work but if they are in water change it often, obviosly if you can keep the greenhouse warm they will root better if not keep them on the window ledge inside,
as dave says any cutting taken in spring will take better this is the same with most plants something to do with a rise in hormonal activity

 

Dixy Angels Trumpets as they were collectively known were reclassified a few years ago and placed into 2 groups Daturas and Brugmansias the main differences are Dats are best teated as annuals they have flowers that point upwards and the fruits are spikey and round hence the name thorn apples,Brugmansias can grow to 15-20ft(small tree size) the flowers hang down the seed pods are long and bean pod like flowers can be over 2ft long and usually have a marvelous scent remind me next spring I will see what I can do

 

Seed pods are VERY toxic.
Zombie culture in Haiti used them to introduce trance-like state.

 

I've got some Datura seeds. When is the best time to plant them? I don't have a greenhouse but could use a windowsill in the Baffa (outdoor living room) perhaps ... as long as I kitty-proofed the area!

 

LofL you would be better in spring but seeing as your in Portugal why not try a few now and the rest in spring

 

Thanks, Walnut, any special requirements / treatment needed?

 

thanks for the info Walnut, Brugmansias are the ones I'm after then. I'll certainly remind you next spring re the seeds. thanks. LoL you should have no probs raising them with your fab temperatures.

 

If you've been successful growing peppers or eggplants, you know how to grow these. They love rich soil (thus pastureland). To help with seed germination, (which can be difficult), scarify the seeds by filing through a small bit of the seed coat with a nail file or a piece of fine grit sandpaper. Don't file the seed itself and don't file on the eye end, or it will be damaged and not grow. Fill a thermos with hot water (from the tap is fine). Put the seeds in to soak for 24 hours. Change the water for clean hot water every 6 hours. Then plant. Alternatively, some people scarify, soak, and then sow in paper towels and store in plastic bags, checking daily for germination. However, I use Muratic Acid (pool acid) to score seeds I need to but unless you do that type of thing all the time your better off doing the water soak method. Seeds can take one to eight weeks to germinate and like warmth. You can try using bottom heat, as if they were tomatoes or eggplants; on top of the refrigerator or the hot water heater is also a good place for them. Some people cover them with plastic if they are in an especially dry place. Once they get the second set of leaves (true leaves), you can give them half-strength fertilizer. Transplant to full sun and rich soil with no standing water. They are great for growing in tubs. They can also be grown in containers indoors as long as they get plenty of sun. Make sure the soil is rich. Flowers last one to several days and are pollinated at night by moths, although these plants are self-fertile (don't need a pollinator to make seeds). If you snap off the pods, you will get more flowers, but if you want seeds to make more daturas, let the pods remain. When the pods open, the seeds are ripe

Thats one way I found on a website,I have been successful soaking the seed for 48 hrs potting in multipurpose at 25-28c can take a while to germinate they like keeping moist and like a good feed once they are growing can get to 5ft high