How to Grow and Care for Angel Trumpet

How to Grow and Care for Angel Trumpet

Brugmansia

People love angel's trumpet for its attractive, very fragrant flowers. Though often viewed as a tree, it's actually a flowering shrub. Grown as a tree for maximum blooms, this South American perennial shrub can reach 20 feet tall.

Trumpet-shaped blooms come in white, peach, yellow, and orange. Hummingbirds love the bright blooms.

Did You Know? Named after Sebald Justin Brugmans, a Dutch Natural History professor.
Other Names: Trumpet of Death

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A Highly Toxic Plant

Angel's trumpet belongs to the nightshade family (tomatoes, potatoes, petunias). All parts are toxic. Wear gloves when handling.

Historically used as a hallucinogenic drug—dangerous, causing many deaths, especially among teens experimenting with tea made from it.

If you have children or pets, seriously consider the risks before growing this plant.

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Plant Propagation

Angel's trumpet grows from seeds. Sow directly after frost danger passes and soil warms. Plant seeds ¼ inch deep.

Can also be propagated by cuttings—root pruned stems in water!

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How to Grow and Care for Angel Trumpet

Easy to grow. Prefers full sun but tolerates partial shade. Thrives in damp conditions with warm days and cool nights. Likes rich soil for fast growth—mix compost in before planting.

Plants need lots of water and nutrients. Keep soil moist. Add general-purpose fertilizer at planting and every 2–3 weeks. Switch to high-phosphorus formula before blooming.

Often grown in pots—use a large container for this big, fast-growing plant. May need daily watering in hot, dry weather.

Keep weeded when young. Mulch suppresses weeds, looks neat, and feeds the plant's big appetite.

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Pruning Angel Trumpet Plants

The trick to maximizing blooms: prune often. Pruning into a tree shape creates the desired look. Begin when the main trunk forms the first "Y." Prune older branches to encourage more branching. Flowers appear on terminal ends of stems.

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