New Angels for

My Collection

Brug Blog 03.2014

A NOID I grew years back. This was one of my original brugmansia, and helped me to appreciate the ones that would come later on This year I'm going to retire some of my single Angel Trumpets, and a few Doubles too. It's not that I don't love them as much as I always did, and I'm not getting rid of them, I'm just not going to propagate them as I have in the past. They will end up on the other side of the property, tended to by my husband, who will place them lovingly around his tropically landscaped jungle.

I've gotten the new brug bug again, and just want something to bloom I haven't yet seen up close and personal. Some of my wonderful friends at Brugmansia Growers International have shared some real beauties with me, and I have also purchased some new cultivars to grow out.

Among the new jewels for my crown are Bergkonigin, Cathedral, Full Rosea Magic, Hazelnut Buttercup, Madam Bovary, Silky Ballerina, Terra Cotta Star, Theas Liebling, Wuppergold and last but not least, Xena. The links to the Gallery are mostly over at B.G.I., as none of my precious babies have bloomed...yet. Berkonigin and Full Rosea Magic are trying to, and I expect within the Spring months I should be able to post a few of my own lovely shots of these two beauties.

A gorgeous double to triple white flushed with pink, Silky Ballerina was graciously shared by BGI Treasurer and most excellent friend Edna Murphee. Incidentally, many of the fantastic photos over at the BGI Gallery are from Edna's enormous Brugmansia Collection. Silky Ballerina is trying her best to set some tiny calyxes. I'm feeding her like crazy, hoping to improve their size and help her make some picture worthy blooms for me to behold. Thanks Edna, you're the best ☺

Terra Cotta Star was hydroponically grown especially for me by another BGI member, Donna. The photos you see of it in the BGI Gallery are hers. What a fantastic Keeper of the Brugs she is. That is one healthy and coddled Angel, to be sure. What I really love about this particular cultivar, is the furry, toothed leaves. Reminds me of Whiskers. Terra Cotta Stars parentage is Sacajawea x Luminosa and created by none other than famed Hybridyzer and Author Monika Gottschalk. A beautiful bitterwseet indeed!

Cathedral is also a beautifully colored, rosy burnt brick colored single with a flippant lip created by none other than Alan Maas. Everyone whose anyone in the Gardening community knows of Al and his adventures. His soil mixes cannot be matched, just look him up along with his studious thoughts on soil mixtures over at Gardenweb. Al is BGI's mad scientist and always studying outside the box. Cathedral will be a welcome and cheerful Angel to add to my collection. Thanks to you as well Al. ☺

Thea's Liebling ('Liebling' is German for 'Favorite') and Bergkonigin are really deep pink, almost red. These two warm group doubles can only rival my single Pink Dragon, who also turns almost red with certain outdoor temperatures. Both lovely, the necks are narrow and long, very graceful. Can't wait to see them flush for me ☺

Gino holding up the potted cutting Wuppergold to Thank Edna WupperGold is another story. As soon as my husband Gino read Edna's attached note, that Wuppergold can rival Langenbuscher Garten, I was told in no uncertain terms that 'This one is Mine.' And so it is. Gino is now the caretaker of the lovely, double, triple Wuppergold. Edna even sent him a back up, to be sure he had one take. What a kind and thoughtful person. The Brugmansia Community is full of fine Gardeners such as dear Edna. Gardeners must be amongst the most considerate people on Earth, don't you think?

And although I'm side-tracking a bit, I've also made some wonderful new Angel Friends through my Customer base. The emails I've received and the cheerful personalities on the other side of those electronic messages have been nothing short of something great to wake up to. A good cup of coffee and emails from fellow brug lovers is a refreshing way to spend any morning!

Angel Trumpets need to develop a nice sized root mass before any cuttings should be taken. I would think it would be similar to most trees, in that the plant needs to establish some size and strength before removing any growth the tree was going to use as an energy source. So these Last-Fall cuttings will all spend this Spring and Summer growing out for me, gaining size through constant love and care. Already they have moved from half-pint pots to 1 gallon containers. I expect within the month they will be moving into 3 gallon pots and be spending the Summer there, and ready by it's end to move into 5 gallon pots where they can over winter.

I do expect I will be able to take some small amount of cuttings this winter. I'm one of those people who believe in 'back-up plants.' One cannot predict a fungus or major pest outbreak. Keeping the same cultivars separated can protect your Collection.

When starting out from a cutting, You should never be shy about the fertilizing, micronutrient additives, and foliar feeding schedule. Brugmansia thrive when given your full attention, and will reward you with faster, stronger growth and larger flushes of flowers. If you are just starting out with your own Angel trumpets, be sure to give them the extra attention and care to get a healthy, well established plant. When you see roots starting to peek out the bottom of the pot, it is time to transfer it up a pot size, and continue the same feeding itinerary.

In closing, I do wish I had photos of these new beauties to show you. I will be stalking them though, and when I can finally get a decent shot of one of my new Angels in bloom, I'll be sure to come back and add a few pictures to brighten up this page. And of course, they will each receive their own Gallery page. In the meantime, Happy Gardening, to all of my Brugmansia Friends :)