Brugmansia is a tree-like shrub with unusually beautiful and fragrant flowers - phonographs. The plant belongs to the nightshade family and prefers to grow in tropical and subtropical climates.
Popular types of brugmansia
Fragrant brugmansia or scented (Brugmansiasuaveolens) - this species is called fragrant or aromatic. Brazil is considered the homeland of this species. It prefers to grow in hot climates. When the necessary conditions are created in the room, it can bloom throughout the year. In nature, the height of the shrub reaches five meters. The plant blooms with white or light green large flowers (about 15 centimeters in diameter, and up to 30 centimeters in length).
Golden (Brugmansiaaurea) - this species is called golden. The plant received this name for the yellow-orange color of flowers. A distinctive feature of this species are long and large leaves (up to half a meter in length).
Snow White (Brugmansiacandida) - this species is called arboreal or snow-white. Many hybrids have been bred on the basis of this variety. Under natural conditions, the height of the shrub reaches three meters. The plant blooms with snow-white flowers (about 25 centimeters in length).
Bloody (Brugmansiasanguinea) - this species is called bloody. This name is associated with the bright red and orange colors. Sometimes there are shrubs of this species with yellow flowers. The plant belongs to frost-resistant varieties and attracts with a pleasant aroma.
Brugmansiaversicolor - the plant got this name for a reason. It's all about its extraordinary flowering. At an early age, the shrub blooms with white flowers, and over the years, the flowers take on a peach or orange hue. The height of this shrub can reach four meters, and the huge flowers are about 50 centimeters long.
How to grow brugmansia shrub
Temperature
This heat-loving outdoor plant will only grow well in regions with a warm climate. If desired, you can grow it in cold areas, but for the winter period you will have to move the plant indoors. Therefore, such shrubs are planted immediately in a separate container so that there is an opportunity for movement.
Location and lighting
A place for growing must be chosen with good lighting, but no drafts. The plant responds normally to the change of night and day temperatures in the summer. Since the plant is quite tall, and the stems are very fragile, you need to take care of the supports that will support the heavy branches in advance.
Soil and watering
The soil on the site should be fat, loamy and nutritious. Watering must be carried out daily and abundant. A huge shrub with large succulent leaves, stems and flowers, with a powerful root system requires a lot of moisture.In addition to watering, do not neglect spraying.
Top dressing and fertilizers
Brugmansia needs constant feeding. Liquid mineral fertilizers (with the addition of wood ash) are applied at least twice a month. During the period of active flowering, it is necessary to apply fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus.
Brugmansia pruning rules
- March is the best time to prune shrubs. It is necessary to have time to carry out this procedure before the appearance of new growth.
- First, you need to rid the plant of dry and diseased branches. Healthy branches are pruned by about thirty percent. With the help of cut healthy branches, the plant can be propagated. Excessive pruning will affect the abundance of flowering, so you need to observe the measure in everything.
- Pruning is carried out so that not only straight branches, but also Y-shaped branches remain on the shrub. The appearance of flowers will depend on this.
- For the first time, pruning is carried out only in the second year after the first flowering.
- For abundant flowering, it is necessary to leave lateral horizontal branches when pruning. It is on them that more colors appear.
Reproduction of brugmansia
Brugmansia is a plant that can multiply in several ways: by seed, cuttings and layering.
Reproduction method by cuttings
In order for the cuttings to take root quickly, it is better to use this method in the spring. Prepare a strong and sturdy stalk with at least one fork. Cut off all the leaves - this will conserve the vigor of the cuttings, which are needed for root growth. The stalk must be placed in a container with water, having previously dipped it into a biological solution (growth stimulator) and changed daily. The first roots should appear in about ten days. After that, the cutting is transferred to peat soil.
When the plant decays and the roots grow slowly, the cutting can be immediately planted in the ground (for example, perlite), after cutting off the decayed part. The soil should be moderately moist. It is advisable to place the container with the plant in partial shade and in the greenhouse mode. As the root system grows, the plant is briefly taken out in direct sunlight. The favorable time for transplantation will come in about a month.
Reproduction method by layering
With this method of reproduction, the plant will not be tall, but the flowering will not suffer. Apply it in May-June.
At the top of the shrub, you need to choose strong and healthy last year's shoots about two centimeters in diameter. Each shoot needs to be cut into a Y-shaped cut (approximately twenty-five percent thick) and sprinkled with a root stimulant. Then attach damp moss around the entire incision, wrap it in a plastic bag and strengthen with a thick thread or elastic band. For a month, using a medical syringe, it is necessary to moisten the moss.
After thirty to forty days, when the roots appear, the shoot must be cut off, all leaves and flowers on it must be removed, the moss must be carefully removed and it can be planted in a permanent place. For better rooting, the plant will need daily spraying and no direct sunlight.
Seed propagation method
With this method of reproduction, the plant will begin to bloom only in the second or third year.
Before planting, the seeds are soaked for two days in a growth stimulator. They are planted in moist soil to a depth of about one centimeter and sprayed on the soil surface. Then you need to cover the container with the seeds with a transparent film and leave in a well-lit place for three weeks.
When shoots appear, it is necessary to sprinkle daily with water at room temperature (three times a day). The plant transplant time is determined by the appearance of the fifth leaf on the shoots.
After two months, you can feed young plants with nitrogen-containing fertilizers, and after four - with complex fertilizers.
Winter brugmansia care
When growing this plant in cold regions, you must constantly monitor the air temperature. If the temperature mark drops to 5 degrees Celsius, then you urgently need to transfer the shrub to a place where the conditions of detention are warmer.
In winter, the plant does not bloom and sheds most of its foliage. When the temperature in the room is below fifteen degrees Celsius, brugmansia "goes into hibernation" and does not require a lot of moisture and light. Watering is carried out infrequently, spraying should be continued, and ventilation should be regular.
At the end of February, the buds on the bush will begin to swell - this means that it is time to transfer the brugmansia to a lighter habitat. Future flowering is directly dependent on adequate lighting.
Diseases and pests
Lack of lighting and violation of watering rules will lead to the plant losing buds that have not yet opened, the color of the leaves will change, and the shoots will begin to stretch.
One of the main reasons for the lack of flowering of a three-year-old plant is the improper use of dressings. With a large amount of nitrogen-containing fertilizers, the amount of only the leaf mass will increase in the plant.
The main pest of brugmansia - spider mite... It will not appear on plants that are regularly (three times a day) and abundantly sprayed. Each leaf must be sprayed thoroughly so that moisture gets on both sides of the leaves.
When the appearance aphids, caterpillars or slugs, you urgently need to use special insecticidal preparations. Plants are processed twice a week until the pests are completely destroyed.
Be careful!
Brugmansia is a poisonous shrub that is banned in many countries for planting in public places. Its pleasant aroma can cause unbearable headaches, and the toxic substances in the plant can even cause hallucinations. This is especially important for families with small children.
