Start a Brugmansia

Collection

Whether you are just starting and want to know what to get, or if you are planning on taking hybridyzing seriously, these brugmansia cultivars are a must have to kick∼start that collection. After asking several well∼noted hybridizers, this list is a combination of their most favorites, not only for beauty, but for using as pollinators. I have listed them in no particular order.

After you become familiar with some of the brugmansia names and shapes, you will see why hybridizers use many of these when trying to make that perfect cross, and ultimately, the perfect bloom. The brugmansia, or angel trumpets list below can help you get going.

After all the plant explanations, I did write a few words on managing a growing collection of brugmansia.

If you'd like to know the aroma, or scent of each flower, visit that flowers Gallery listing. I have written what they smell like on that cultivar's Gallery page. Many brugmansia smell like baby powder, but some have very unique scents.

And if you need any more convincing on why these lovely Angel Trumpets are so collectable, you can surf on over to Dan Gill's blog on them, Angels Trumpet brings drama and scent where the Times-Picayune garden columnist for New Orleans can tell an unteresting story of his own.

Sam was high on everyone's list. Considered a large flowered, pollen rich brugmansia, Sam throws great seedlings with the potential for doubles, triples, and registry of something different. And the double stuffed flowers with a rich pink outer flower gives way to the inside flower of even deeper pink. A beautiful brugmansia to be sure. I personally have found it is a bit late to get started, but after it takes off, it is a real prize winning brugmansia. The Rothkirch breeding definitely makes it a must have for any collection.
Kleine Lady X (Ecuador Pink x Rothkirch) Hybridizer: Ludger Schneider

Jacayna is a 6 pointer, and occasionally throws 7 point flowers. This brugmansia has a wide, open flower with pink kissed lips. The pollen from this one opens up other flowers that may be cramped, such as a double you can never seem to get to fully open. Re∼cross with Jacayna and see what happens. Loved by hybridizers, if you want a must have in your collection, get Jacayna.
Frosty Pink X Lexy. Hybridizer: Paul Phillips

Daydreams is a fantastic double to triple flowered brugmansia that delights all who see and smell it. After reaching maturity, this angels trumpet will put out flush after flush of dozens of large, drooping trumpet flowers. A large brugmansia, Day Dreams can easily grow to over 15 feet in ground. It is also easy to control in a container, and keep at a smaller size.
Fandango X Rubirosa. Hybridizer: Shirley Morr

Fleming Island Rachel This brugmansia is a German cultivar that has beautiful blooms. It is great to work with in a hybrizer's program. Fleming Island Rachel is a constant bloomer once branching out from the original Y, and graces any lanai or patio with long, graceful double stuffed trumpets that lightly scent the air for guests and family. Great to add to a hybridyzing list too. I have to add, Fleming Island Rachel is one of my very favorite brugmansia. The blooms come out perfect every single time, not having to mature until the second flush on a young plant.
Kleine Lady X Everlasting Ruby. Hybridizer: Ludger Scheidner

Pink Dragon is a large, 5 to 6 pointer brugmansia with very large mouthed blooms. It could just as easily have been named Red Dragon, as come the cooler temperatures, the blooms are very close to red. A pest resistant, fast growing, large brugmansia with a strong trunk and large flushes after established. Large, oblong, sleek leaves. An Angel Trumpet that once you see it in person, you know you will want it in your forever collection. Pink Dragon is also September 2012 Brugmansia of the month. Link is here: Pink Dragon, Brugmansia of the Month
First Day X Rosabella. Hybridizer: Susie French

Magnifique is a gorgeous double to triple white bloom that is sure to please those who like the white flowered brugs. Really nice performing, and sets many flushes after established.
Fandango X Rubirosa Hybridizer: Monika Gottschalk

Mandarin Twist is a beautiful, deep orange single bloom that colors up quickly. This is the richest orange color I have seen in a while. My photo of bloom is only two days old, it colors up the deepest on day 4. Click photo for gallery at BGI with the deep oranges I mention. The calyx also lies closely to the neck of the bloom, giving the glove look I love so much. Another fantastic angel trumpet by Ludger Schneider, our German friend that might yet create a blue brugmansia in the cold group brugs.
Kleine App x Unknown. Hybridizer: Ludger Schneider

Gold Flame is a newer cultivar and was created by Dorothea Langenberg. Fantastic yellows and sometimes, pale, creamy orange hues appear on this magnificent brugmansia. Blooms are about 7 inches long, and this empyrean double flowered Angel Trumpet will have everyone commenting on it. A medium sized tree, this one is about 5 to 6 feet, great for leaving as a potted plant. Easy to care for, and I like that it naturally seeks out an elegant tree shape. The bloom I am showing a photo of here is only a day or so old, and won't color up to the striking deep lemon yellow until tomorrow or the next day. Click the photo for more images of the final bloom.

Kleine Lady Is one of my favorites. A creamy whitish bloom with peachy center bloom in cool weather, it turns peach in warmer weather. A really elegant double to triple flower, the neck is graceful and the flushes are outstanding. For use hybridizing and for it's beauty, Kleine Lady will be notable in your collection.
Tiara X Luminosa. Hybridizer: Herta Blin

Dalai Lama just gets better and better. Great parentage, beautiful yellow single flowers with the lips kissed in brillant orange, this brugmansia throws a strong scent of almondy marzipan at you from a distance of over 50 feet. Excellent in a container, as it stays to a medium height, Dalai Lama is an angel trumpet I will not be without.
Jacayna X The Chief Hybridizer: Elizabeth Fichtl

Pink Catalonia is a really nice stuffed brug, as I call them. Kind of short, but fat, the full calyxes always give rise to beautiful, full flowers stuffed inside one another. I love the gloved appearance to the calyx, even after opening, it remains far down over the flower, similar to Kleine Lady and Berstein, a definite sign of her past heritage. In 2011, Mike (the breeder) discovered a seedling from a cross with pod parent Catalonia, that threw pink shreddeds and pinkish yellow blooms. Mike says he has not registered it, but calls it 'Pink Catalonia'. A real beauty, it scents up of baby powder with a touch of citrus.
Catalonia X Unknown pollen donor. Hybridizer: Mike Usina

Bernstein never disappoints. If you love yellow∼orange blooms, this is one for your collection. The calyx stays long down over the flower, creating a glove look, and the flowers stand out horizontally, a really nice and unusual feature for brugmansia. Another one of my favorites, it stays bug free and flushes spring through late fall when mature. An aurea hybrid. Fruity melon scent to the flowers.
Unknown parentage. Hybridizer: Dorothea Langenberg

Langenbusher Garten is one of the most coveted brugmansia in the brug community, Langenbusher Garten is a mid∼sized small tree with beautiful yellow and/to orange double blooms. A fantastic plant to have if you are planning on hybridizing, Lagenbusher Garten is not easy to find. If you do, grab onto it. The scent of Lagenbusher Garten is also heavenly, like candied citrus. Langenbusher Garten is Brugmansia of the Month∼October 2012
Unknown parentage. Hybridizer: Dorothea Langenberg

New Orleans Lady is also a cherished brugmansia to the angel trumpet community, and almost all hybridizers I speak with own it. Known as one of the best scented doubles, NOL, as she is known, is a double peach brugmansia that blooms incessantly after reaching a mature age. Great for your patio or lanai, the scent will delight everyone. Hybridizers consider her one of the strongest scented of all the brugs. Also used in many hybridizing progams.
Tiara X Rothkirch. Hybridizer: Mary Voss

Dorthea is a fantastic brugmansia, blooming constantly and growing fast. Deep pink blooms flush across the tree many times all year, even in the summer heat. Excellent to use for hybridizing, as her bloodline is pure rubyline. You have to have a Dorothea in your collection if you are in any way serious about crossing cultivars. Don't forget the scent. Heady, baby powder aroma that goes for hundreds of feet. Insect resistant. Dorthea is also Brugmansia of the Month∼August 2012.
Rubiline X Rubiline Hybridizer: Ludger Schneider

Ann Sessions. The longer I have this cultivar, the more I am in love with it. The teeth are very long, a desirable quality to be sure. And the way she colors up is amazing. Sometimes whites with pinks, sometimes yellow tones, and sometimes almost lavendar, but also pink. This beautiful brugmansia should be in every one's collection, in my opinion. Another spectacular brugmansia by super talented Lizzy Fichtl.
Isabella X L'Amour. Hybridizer: Liz Fichtl

Rosamond has huge pink to dark pink single blooms that fill the air with fragrance. Excellent bloodline proves Rosamond is a brug to have if you want to create your own crosses. Matures quickly with proper treatment. This is one of my favorite brugmansia. Note it is parented by Rothkirch, so the breeding is fantastic!
Rothkirch X Ocre Hybridizer:Herta Blin

Jessie Noel is a really beautiful, large, open single orange to yellow flower that grows fast and strong. A must have brugmansia if you want to have any type of brugmansia collection, if you have access to Jessie Noel, get it. After it Y's, it branches out quickly to give full flushes all spring and summer, well into fall in the deep south.
Whiskers X Charles Grimaldi. Hybridizer: Gloria Lessner

Santa Rosa I have loved this brugmansia from the first time I grew one out from a rooted cutting. A very vigorous grower, with huge bell flowers swaying in the breezes, Santa Rosa is a brugmansia I think everyone should have. J.T. told us over at BGI that he named it after the county in Florida where he first grew it out. A very reliable grower, a large brugmansia, and never dissapoints with many flushes all spring, summer and fall. A must have for any collector.
Pink Beauty X Ecuador Pink. Hybridizer: JT Sessions

Balao is a species and cultivar of brugmansia, bred from b. versicolor wild form. A beautiful, deep pink to almost red single flower, Balao is a large flower with delicious scent similar to baby powder, as are many brugs. A great plant to have for further use in hybridizing, and a lovely specimen plant.
Hybridizer: Michael Schwerdtfeger

Mango Crush has such an unusual color, and the name fits perfectly with that. A beautiful single bloom with colors of melon, mango, and the sun, a bloom that you have got to have. No other brugmansia seems to color up like this fat and waxy bloom. Great scent, fast growing and nice big leaves.
L'Amour X Rosamond. Hybridizer: Suzie French

Shooting Star is another favorite of mine. Pretty curled teeth open up a greenish yellow throat on this stunning single bloom. Depending upon the outside temperature, the blooms also orange up at the lip. Great flushes, a medium sized tree. I really love the shape of the flowers of this one.

Kleine App (In German this means 'Little Ape') X Unknown pollen donor. Hybridizer: Ludger Schneider

To view a comprehensive list of registered brugmansia cultivars from around the world, here is a database: Brugmansia Cultivars List of Registered Names.

If you'd like to know where to find brugmansia cultivars. email me. My email is on the bottom of each page.

After you have acquired several brugmansia, you will need to start a regular routine of maintenance. That includes using a systemic pesticide such as the one shown here, by Bayer, and also a systemic fungal protection, shown Here. Large amounts of brugmansia will draw in insect pests such as spidermites, and all of the same bugs her cousin, the tomato also attracts. Using these systemics will cut your worries down to almost zero, save for a steady fertilizing routine and of course, water, water, water!

I love to garden organically as much as possible, but with my collection so expansive, I find that it is just too hard to not go with these two chemicals. Thankfully, the systemic pesticide lasts one year. The Bayer 3 in 1 Rose systemic lasts about 3 months.

Do not overcrowd your plants. Allow air to circulate in all directions. Crowding will cause them to not only grow misshapenly, but invite tiny pests such as aphids, spidermites and whiteflies.

A nice trick I learned from other hybridizers is to sink the pots about 6 to 8 inches into ground (if it is not a fancy decorative planter) to keep them from blowing over in high winds. Brugmansia grow so quickly that within no time, they will be toppling over without either a larger, heavier pot or some other stabilzation method.

I do suggest if you have the mindset of creating a collection of these lovely plants, to read more on their care in the menu to your right, near top. I have written as much as I can think of on them, and am adding pages constantly. Happing brugging, new friends!

Tags: , This entry was posted on February 15th, 2012 and is filed under Brugmansia Information.