brugmansia

Can I grow one of these in England?

 

Hello GeorgeBean.

Here is a link to all the threads relating to Brugmansias. There are several members in the UK who grow them. Perhaps you will find what you need to know on one of them ...

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/search.php?searchid=232745

They are truly a beautiful flower, as are their relatives Datura, both of which I grow outside here.

Good luck if you decide to venture into growing them.

 

I cant make that work :-(

 

Sorry GeorgeBean, let's try again ...

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/search.php?searchid=232840

If it doesn't work again, go into the Tropical Gardening section and Search This Thread and type in Brugmansia ...

Again, apologies.

 

We've grown them here in Scotland from cuttings and from seed and they did very well though unfortunately a severe infestation of Red Spider Mite which took hold while over-wintering indoors clobbered them a couple of years ago.

 

YEAH! :yho: So guys still grow them. I thought I was the only one after walnut left.

 

Mine all died in the garage this winter, it was just too cold, I should have kept at least one in the heated greenhouse.
You live and learn.

 

I actiually found and bought (the only one) red Brugmansia sanguinea in Aldi a month or so ago for â?¬2,49 and it's going great with new leaves. I have never seen one for sale here before . Hopefully it will survive with me as it's a bit delicate with the heat and I can put up pics of bloom .... :ntwrth:

 

Hi Lady.:luv: Hi pete. I've tried overwintering them in garages three times and whatever they say on the ABAD site, it doesn't work. Overwintering them in the ground doesn't work either, ( unless it's a mild winter) whatever protection you give them. It's my own belief that they need access to light even if they're officially dormant. Not sure if that is right but it seems to work. I've always found that however you "baby" them, they're never happy until the light levels improve. I think walnut use to have artificial lighting in his g/houses but we can't ask him now, can we.

 

Hiya Caj xx

Now mine live outside permanently in pots so have light but they have been tormented by something eating the leaves in recent months. They are now looking healthier having regular sprays of washing-up liquid and I will post on our Bruggie thread when they are doing better.

We know how to get in touch walnut, remember?

Speak soon. k-l xx

 

Hi GeorgeBean et al.,

I am now in my second year growing them. I overwintered two Brugmansia suaveolens successfully in a frostfree summerhouse, though a third one died. I also had a couple of Datura survive, having been informed that they were annuals. All my seed came from Walnut. My summerhouse has a large glass area at the front, and I placed them next to this. I had a heater, with a thermostat set to 2C. The biggest problem was the height, as the taller was over six feet and only just fitted in. The taller one held a few leaves over the winter, but the smaller one lost all its leaves. They are both outside now, where they have experienced frosts recently. And both are growing strongly from all over the stems. Walnut did say they they can be cut down to about 4 feet to over winter them. I was hesitant as there were no leaves or branches or buds below 4 feet, so I would have just left a bare stem. But as they have now budded in numerous places I shouldn't have worried.

Victoria. I am also growing some B. sanguinea from seed - about 12 inches high at the moment. But I have a feeling that they may take a couple of years to flower. Is the red one different from the normal sanguinea, or are they all part red, part yellow? And I am also growing your Datura 'Blackcurrent Swirl' seeds. And I am growing Iochroma australis, which has more, smaller flowers, pictured below.

 

Good evening, PeterS.

Oh, your B sanguinea is bigger than mine ... :hehe: As far as I know they are all red and yellow and very 'thin' flowers, not blousey at all ... and I think with no scent ... :dh: ... why are we growing these I ask myself other than for the novelty and uniqueness of them ...

My 'Blackurrant Swirl' is back having survived the winter outdoors here and there are 'things growing around it? .... possibly seedlings ???? ....

My Iochromas are looking good ... :gnthb:

 

Hi Victoria, I am glad your Iochromas are looking good. You have told us, but I have forgotten which ones you are growing? They are less well known (at least, to me) than Brugmansia and Datura. Does this mean that they are more difficult to grow, or less attractive? The pictures always look superb.

As for why are we growing them ..... This reminds me of a story told to me by my late neighbour - a lovely Indian doctor. We were talking about Avocado Pears. At one time they were the height of chic in the UK, with people paying large prices in resturants and insisting that they were 'out of this world'. But my neighbour's opinion was that they were disgusting. They grew profusely everywhere in India and were so common that only the poor ate them!

I think Brugmansia's are like this. They are 'out of this world', but only if your next door neighbour hasn't got them.

 

I like sanguinea but its a devil to grow, I find.
It likes it cool to flower Victoria ???

MY oldish plant has died now but I got this out of it before it went.



I have overwintered other brugs a few years back in a heated greenhouse with no problems.
I guess I just got a bit to sure of myself this year, putting them in the garage due to lack of space, and lost all the plants, about 6, that I grew from seed last year.

Was looking forward to finding out what the colours would be this year.:(

 

Hi Lady. Yeah, we know.:wink:
pete, so sorry you lost the ones grown from seed. I've had so many problems overwintering them that any I grow from seed are over-wintered in the back room.(South-facing with patio doors so plenty of light) Fortunately, my MBH loves these plants as much as I do so she puts up with my efforts.