Content
- 1 Description of Brugmansia
- 2 Varieties and types of Brugmansia
- 3 Brugmansia in landscape design
- 4 Growing Brugmansia from seeds
- 5 How to plant Brugmansia in open ground
- 6 How to care for Brugmansia outdoors
- 7 How to preserve Brugmansia in winter
- 8 Features of growing and caring for Brugmansia at home
- 9 Brugmansia flowering
- 10 How to propagate Brugmansia
- 11 Diseases and pests of Brugmansia
- 12 Conclusion
- 13 Reviews of Brugmansia
Planting and caring for Brugmansia in open ground is a curious question for gardeners who are keen on growing delicate but very beautiful southern flowers. If desired, Brugmansia can be grown in almost any climate, but to do this you need to know everything about its requirements and characteristics.
Description of Brugmansia
Brugmansia, or "angel's trumpets", is a tropical flower from the Solanaceae family.In their natural form, these small shrubs and trees up to 2-3 m in height grow in the forests of South America, but are cultivated throughout the world.
The main and most noticeable feature of Brugmansia is its flowers - large, drooping bells up to 25 cm in length and with a wide bell, up to 20 cm. Depending on the variety, the flowers can be white, pink or yellow; they are characterized by a strong intoxicating aroma. Brugmansia blooms several times a season and is very lush - on a well-developed bush, up to 300 individual flowers can form in one bloom.
Varieties and types of Brugmansia
The tropical flower is cultivated in many varieties. The varieties differ from each other mainly in the size and shade of the flowers, while the rules for planting, growing and caring for the Brugmansia plant remain the same.
Fragrant brugmansia
The Brazilian variety reaches 5 m in height and is distinguished by large white flowers up to 30 cm; sometimes the flowers of the plant can have a light green tint. The bell of the cup can reach 15 cm in diameter. As the name implies, fragrant Brugmansia has a particularly strong, pleasant aroma - with proper planting and care, the flower can transform any garden.
Bloody Brugmansia
Blood red, or bloody brugmansia, is a tall flowering tree up to 12 m tall. The plant got its name because of the shade of the flowers; in Brugmansia of this variety they are orange with yellow veins and red edging.The variety is characterized by increased frost resistance, but still remains very sensitive to cold.
Brugmansia golden
An ornamental variety with many varieties, it is distinguished by its high growth up to 6 m and beautiful yellow flowers with wide bells. A characteristic feature of golden brugmansia is its very large soft leaves, which can reach up to 50 cm in length.
Variegated Brugmansia
This variety can be considered the most unusual - Brugmansia variegated reaches up to 4 m in length and bears huge flowers up to 50 cm each. At the same time, in young plants the flowers are white or soft cream, and in adult variegated Brugmansia they become peach or even orange. Another feature is the unusual coloring of the flower’s leaves, decorated with a delicate cream edging.
Snow-white Brugmansia
As the name implies, this variety and many of its hybrids bloom with snow-white, yellowish or apricot flowers. The average length of flowers is about 25 cm; with good care, the shrub can grow up to 3 m in height.
Brugmansia in landscape design
Gardeners love the tropical plant for its ornamental characteristics. Brugmansia white, yellow and pink varieties are planted on the site both in single and group plantings. Low flowers can decorate flower beds and flower lawns, discounts and flower beds. Medium-sized shrubs can be planted next to hedges - Brugmansia looks luxurious against the backdrop of deep greenery and effectively sets it off.
Also, potted plants are often used to decorate terraces, gazebos and areas near gates and gates.However, when organizing the landscape, it is necessary to remember the toxicity of the tropical flower and plant it where animals and children cannot be poisoned by the leaves and flowers, and the smell of the flowers will not be too intrusive.
Growing Brugmansia from seeds
Planting a flower on a plot from scratch is most often done using seeds.
- The material must be sown in containers from January to March. The soil in containers should be loose and light.
- Immediately after sowing, water the seeds thoroughly, trying not to wash them out of the ground, and then cover the container with glass or film and place it in a warm, lit room with a temperature of at least 25 degrees.
- After seedlings appear in the container, the film will need to be removed and the seedlings regularly sprayed with a spray bottle.
- When each of the sprouts forms 5 leaves or more, the flower can be planted in separate pots and grown until it is transferred to the ground.
How to plant Brugmansia in open ground
Despite the fact that the plant is characterized by increased heat-loving behavior, in the summer it is usually planted in open ground, even in the middle zone. In order for planting and caring for the Brugmansia garden flower to be successful, you need to know the basic rules.
When to plant Brugmansia in open ground
In the garden, a tropical flower is planted only in late spring, when the last frosts have passed and the plant is no longer threatened by cold snaps. For the middle zone, planting is recommended at the end of May or beginning of June; during this period there is no need to worry about the successful rooting of the flower.
Preparation of planting material
A sensitive flower must be prepared for planting on the site. Preparation consists of gradual hardening of the plant.
Since outdoor conditions are very different from indoor conditions, several weeks before planting the plant should be taken out into the fresh air for several hours every day. Each time, the time spent outside is gradually increased up to a whole day, thanks to this the flower easily acclimatizes to new conditions and quickly takes root in the soil.
Soil for Brugmansia
The plant loves light but fertile soils. The ideal soil for a flower is loam with the addition of peat and compost or humus in a 1:2:1 ratio. It is also necessary to provide good drainage in the soil so that moisture does not stagnate at the roots of the plant.
Brugmansia prefers well-lit places on the site. At the same time, the place for planting the plant should be well protected from drafts - the stems of the flower are long and fragile, and they can break in a strong wind.
Brugmansia planting rules
Before planting a flower in the ground, it is necessary to prepare the soil - add a little peat and humus to it, and apply complex fertilizers.
- The hole for planting the plant should correspond to the size of the roots of the seedling and in depth exceed their length by about 15 cm.
- It is necessary to pour a drainage layer at the bottom of the planting hole; it will make caring for the plant easier, as it will prevent stagnation of water in the area.
- The prepared hole is filled with soil mixed with humus and peat to the middle, and then the Brugmansia is lowered into the hole and filled with soil until the end.
- Immediately after planting, the plant must be watered, lightly compacted the soil and sprinkled with a layer of dry soil. You can also mulch the flower with sawdust or straw - mulch will help prevent premature evaporation of water.
In the photo of planting and caring for Brugmansia flowers, you can see that when planting it is important to monitor the position of the root collar of the plant. It should be at the same level as in the container where the seedling grew before.
How to care for Brugmansia outdoors
Growing Brugmansia in open ground is a rather complex process. Planting a flower is only the first stage. Next, it is necessary to provide high-quality care for the plant, only then will it be able to show maximum decorativeness.
Watering mode
The tropical plant loves moisture very much, but does not tolerate excessive waterlogging. Therefore, it is imperative to water Brugmansia as the soil dries out, and during dry summer periods - twice a day every day. However, on rainy, humid days, watering should be stopped.
In addition to watering, Brugmansia needs spraying. The leaves of the plant should be regularly moistened with a spray bottle, but during the flowering period, do not allow water to get directly onto the opened buds.
How to feed Brugmansia
For abundant and frequent flowering of Brugmansia, regular feeding is necessary. From spring to the end of summer, it is recommended to add fertilizers directly to the water for irrigation - no more than twice a week. In the spring, the flower will benefit from nitrogen fertilizing, and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers should be applied directly during flowering.
Brugmansia pruning
To maintain decorativeness and abundant flowering, Brugmansia must be pruned annually.Haircuts are usually carried out in mid-March, before the start of the growing season. The procedure consists of removing all old and dry branches from the plant, and shortening new shoots by about a third of their length.
The plant must be trimmed carefully, leaving both straight branches and Y-shaped fork shoots; it is the latter that mainly take part in flowering. Pruning should be done for the first time several years after planting - in the second year after the plant first blooms.
Brugmansia transplant
A tropical plant often needs replanting.
- When caring for Brugmansia in tubs, it is transplanted annually as it grows - into a slightly larger pot than the previous one.
- When grown in the ground, the plant also needs to be replanted regularly - into a closed container with the onset of autumn and back into the ground in late spring.
The main rule when replanting is to handle the root system as carefully as possible. To avoid damage to the roots, it is best to move the plant from place to place together with an old clod of earth.
How to preserve Brugmansia in winter
In southern regions without severe winter frosts, the flower can be left for the winter in open ground. The above-ground part of the plant will inevitably freeze, but the roots will be preserved with high-quality shelter, and in the spring the flower will produce new shoots.
At the same time, the plant cannot overwinter in the open ground in the middle zone. Without fail, the flower must be removed from the ground, transplanted into a spacious tub and moved indoors. Wintering can take place according to 2 scenarios:
- in a darkened basement room at temperatures up to 8 °C;
- in a well-lit room with a temperature of up to 10 ° C while maintaining watering.
If the plant is to overwinter at low temperatures and in a darkened room, Brugmansia will need to be first prepared for changes in care conditions. Shortly before moving the plant indoors, watering should be significantly reduced. It is also customary to prune Brugmansia for the winter, before replanting and caring for it in the open ground.
Features of growing and caring for Brugmansia at home
Since the tropical plant is highly sensitive to temperature conditions, many gardeners, in principle, prefer to grow the plant in tubs and pots and care for Brugmansia at home. When planting at home, it is important to follow basic care rules.
- The temperature in summer should not fall below 20 °C, and in winter you need to ensure that it does not rise above 15 °C.
- When planting and caring for a flower at home, it requires regular watering and spraying; the air humidity level should be at least 60%.
- After planting, the plant requires good lighting with light shading. Ideally, you should place the flower pot on the south side of the house.
When planting Brugmansia and caring for it in a pot, the plant needs to be regularly pruned, fed with fertilizers and replanted at least once a year - or even twice or thrice a year, as it grows.
Brugmansia flowering
The large beautiful flowers of the tropical plant represent its main value.However, gardeners often encounter problems when planting and caring for them - in some conditions the plant refuses to bloom.
When does Brugmansia bloom?
With proper planting and good care, the plant blooms several times a season from July until December. Each individual wave of flowering does not last long, but the plant looks very impressive during this period.
How Brugmansia blooms
In the photo of growing and caring for Brugmansia, you can see that the flowering of a tropical plant is truly amazing. On a well-developed small shrub, 100-300 large flowers can bloom simultaneously - huge bells on long peduncles. The length of the flowers reaches an average of 25-30 cm, in the socket their diameter is about 17 cm, the flowers droop downwards.
Interestingly, on hot and sunny days, the plant’s buds usually close and open only in the evenings, when the sun sets.
Why doesn't Brugmansia bloom?
Often gardeners are faced with an unpleasant problem - a plant known for its beautiful flowering does not want to bear buds after planting. This is usually caused by several factors.
- The plant is young - after planting, with good care, Brugmansia blooms only for 2-3 years.
- The disadvantage of lighting is that if there is too much shading, the shoots of the plant develop poorly and remain too weak to set buds.
- By irregular watering, if the soil dries out and Brugmansia begins to lack moisture, then it will not bloom, or even drop the buds that have already appeared. Also, with a lack of moisture, Brugmansia leaves often turn yellow.
Also, the lack of flowers can be explained by a too cramped pot when planting and caring for tubs.
How to make Brugmansia bloom
In order for the plant to bloom, it is enough to pay attention to proper care and eliminate factors that interfere with the normal development of the plant. Namely:
- increase the frequency of watering - up to 2 times a day on hot summer days;
- feed the flower more often - up to 3 times a week in the warm season;
- transplant the plant into a larger pot along with a lump of earth so that the root system has space to develop.
If the lack of flowers is due precisely to improper care, and not to the young age of the plant, then the measures listed should help.
How to propagate Brugmansia
There are 2 main ways to propagate a tropical plant - by seeds and cuttings.
- When propagating by seed, planting material is sown between January and March, the seeds are provided with moist and warm conditions, and then they wait for the seedlings to appear in a few weeks. Seedlings need to be regularly watered and sprayed, and after each plant has 5 leaves, transplant it into separate pots. Seedlings are usually planted in the ground the next year, when they are sufficiently strengthened.
- When cutting at the end of spring, it is necessary to cut fresh shoots with an apical bud and first place them in water, and after noticeable roots appear, transplant them into pots with a nutritious substrate of peat, sand and perlite. It will be possible to transfer the cuttings to permanent tubs in 2-3 weeks, and plant them in the ground the next season.
Diseases and pests of Brugmansia
Even with proper planting and quality care, the plant can be damaged by some diseases and parasites.Of the insects, the flower is most often affected by whiteflies and spider mites - to get rid of them and other pests, it is recommended to spray the plant with insecticidal solutions, such as Agravertin or Actellik.
Of the ailments that are especially dangerous for the plant, gray rot, nitrogen starvation and viral diseases leading to deformation and yellowing of leaves. If Brugmansia is only slightly affected, it is recommended to feed it with nitrogen fertilizers and treat it with fungicidal solutions, such as Topaz. It is better to eliminate a severely damaged plant to avoid problems with caring for neighboring plantings.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for Brugmansia in open ground requires increased attention, but brings excellent results. With proper care, the plant pleases with regular beautiful flowering and decorates any garden.
Reviews of Brugmansia
