How Fast Does Brugmansia Grow?

Characteristics

• The angel's trumpet plant is a semiwoody South American native that grows naturally as a bushy shrub. At maturity, it's usually about 8 feet tall, but it may become taller, especially when pruned into a more treelike shape. Its impressive flowers are about 20 inches long, pendulous and trumpet shaped, with pointed, recurving tips. Flowers appear in summer and can be white, yellow, orange or pink, depending on the variety. They have a sweet fragrance that's especially intense at night.

Growth

• Angel's trumpet is a fast-growing plant that can add 2 to 3 feet in height each season, when given ideal conditions. The plant eventually develops a broad canopy, up to 10 feet in width, giving it a mostly oval shape. It thrives when given a spot in full sun, although it can also grow in partial to full shade, where its growth can be vigorous but flowering may be greatly diminished. Angel's trumpet also grows best when it receives regular watering; it can wilt severely during dry spells. Although the plant usually recovers once its soil is moistened, drying out can slow its growth and interfere with flower production.

Other Care and Considerations

• Although angel's trumpet needs regular moisture, you should reduce watering during winter when its growth naturally slows, keeping its soil barely moist. During spring and summer, the plant responds to regular fertilizing by developing large numbers of flowers; feed it every few weeks with a balanced, 10-10-10 formula, diluted at a rate of 1/4 teaspoon per gallon, but also check your package label for additional directions. All parts of angel's trumpet, including flowers, leaves and seeds, are toxic if ingested in large quantities, so you should plant it in a spot that's inaccessible to pets and small children.

Varieties

• Several types of angel's trumpet plants are available from nurseries and garden centers, including the cultivar "Charles Grimaldi" (Brugmansia versicolor "Charles Grimaldi"), which has especially large numbers of yellow-to-salmon flowers, and "Golden Queen" (Brugmansia aurea "Golden Queen"), with soft-yellow, highly scented blossoms. Another cultivar called "Jamaican Yellow" (Brugmansia suaveolens "Jamaican Yellow") has bright flowers that are a clear yellow.