Angel's Trumpets, Devil's Trumpets and Good Things to Eat

Flowers of Brugmansia point down like Angel’s Trumpets, pealing from the heavens towards the Devil down below.

Angel's Trumpet bud almost open on Wednesday.

This plant wintered in the greenhouse. It was awkward and gangly and lost

most of its leaves. I had hoped for pink trumpets in the winter.

This Brugmansia came back from roots. It is a ways from blooms.

It is about 2 feet tall and the trunk is very thick.

Datura’s trumpet-shaped flowers call upwards to the heavens.

White Datura here came back from roots and are blooming now.

When I go out the side door after dark, there is an incredible spicy

fragrance coming from this plant. Petunias add an exotic note of their own.

The nearer the species, the more fragrant the scent of petunias.

Seedlings of Purple Swirl Datura on left.

I failed to plant seeds of yellow Datura. Looking at previous

years' pics makes me wish I had. I could still plant a few.

Datura prefer to be watered only when the roots are dry; Brugmansia enjoy more plentiful overhead watering. This also provides an atmosphere less hospitable to red-spider-mites, which thrive on hot and dry conditions. These plants are non-edible.

Now to Good Things to Eat also in the family Solanacea -- the Potato family. Daturas and Brugs are related to Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplant. The last three are beginning to bloom in the greenhouse and tomatoes have set a fruit or two. Eggplants growing look as exotic as flowers to me.

Angel trumpet last September 3.


Purple Datura from 2009