Eddie Stiltner - For The Love of Angel Trumpets: Brugmansia Stories from around the world

Introduction

I started this book with one simple premise: sharing the passion of brugmansia. Of course, this book will detail the basic growing methods from seed to flowering stage. It will also mention cuttings, winter storage, fertilizer, pests and all the typical things you would expect out of a book written about brugmansia. However, I wanted this book to also focus on the passion and drive of brugmansia growers and hybridizers from around the world.

I am pleased to say that this book has contributors from several countries around the world. These amazing growers and hybridizers share their stories and passion about brugmansia, as well as giving helpful growing tips for their region of the world. Often their suggestions are very technical, especially when they are writing about fertilizers. Other times, it is common sense advice that they have learned over their years of growing these beauties.

Its my hope that this book helps brugmansia growers understand how to grow in their regions more successfully. I also hope by reading and learning from other parts of the world that we all learn new methods for growing our beauties from the multiple contributors suggestions.

This book primary focuses on the warm group of brugmansia. Like most of the world, I have never lived in a climate conducive enough to grow the rich-colored, cold group. It is my hopes that one day a hybridizer and or grower of the cold group writes a book specifically for these beauties.

Recognition

I want to thank all of the contributors, editors and individuals that donated pictures for helping make this book possible. With your help, I think we are helping make the brugmansia world a beautiful place. Angela Erwin, Anita Schaumann, Aynsley Batson, Bee Young, Bjrn Petersson, Brugmansia Growers International administration, Catese Chaffee, Eric Donovan Lester, Erik Steensels , Felicia Corona, Frederick Ash, Ghada Shubietah, Gunilla Renstrm, James Graffrath, Joe Seamone, Johnny Boonen, Kathy Suleski, Katina Larson, Leah Coleman, Lisa Babnick Hook, Lynn Graffrath, Marek Perni, Mark Bailey, Mark Coopman , Marta Szkudlarek, Monty Shinn, Patricia Watson, Patrick Moestermans, Patrick Steinkuhl, Robert Ingr, Shaun Douglas, Tamara Hopper, Tina Rose Melia

Warning:

Like most of the beautiful plants in our collections and landscaping, brugmansia are potentially poisonous. I highly suggest not consuming brugmansia in any way. If you accidently eat a few handfuls, I suggest calling 911 immediately. If you feel your pets have consumed brugmansia, call their veterinarian immediately.

Love at First Sight

I remember the first angel trumpet that I ever saw. I was visiting a friends garden around 30 years ago in Naples, Florida. I could hardly believe my eyes as we entered his backyard. I saw a plant next to his koi pond that was approximately 12 feet tall and was covered with hundreds of pristine white flowers.

Although his gardens were full of tropical and subtropical plants with many types of colorful leaves and bright colored flowers, I knew I had to learn more about the beauty with hundreds of flowers. I started walking toward the amazing plant, when I caught a whiff of a heavenly fragrance. The closer I got to the plant, the more I could smell that delightful fragrance. I realized that the perfumed air was radiating from this amazing plant.

I followed the twisting path to the unusual plant that was nestled by the waterfall and hanging over the koi pond. When I looked up, I saw hundreds of trumpet-shaped flowers approximately nine inches long and six inches wide. I was simply astonished at the immense size of the flowers that hung only a couple feet over my head. The coastal winds slightly blew the trumpets back and forth, making them look like bells being rung from the angels above. I knew at this point that I must grow this spectacular plant one day.

We continued our tour around his amazing gardens, which ended by the koi pond. His wife brought out coffee, and we sat by the pond discussing all the remarkable plants in his landscaping. Of course, I asked a million questions about the plant that I came to know as brugmanisa, aka angel trumpets. How tall do they get? How often do they flower? Do they come in different colors? Where can I buy one? What do you fertilize with?

I could hardly keep up with the conversation when it started getting dark and the moonlight hit the brugmansias flowers. The light softly glowed and glistened as the flowers fluttered in the night breeze. There was enough moonlight to create a reflection on the surface of the pond. I could see the giant trumpets reflections dancing on the surface. The slight breeze moved the trumpets back and forth, which created a scene of dancing ballerinas swaying on the pond.

I will always remember this moment. It was a magical experience for me. It got me started on a 30-year journey of loving brugmansia.

My First Collection

Its hard to believe there was a time that it was almost impossible to find a brugmansia for sale. Thirty years ago, I did not even own a computer. There was no such thing as eBay or Facebook. Online social media was non-existent, so I searched through hundreds of seed catalogs. I also searched every nursery and botanical garden, which I knew of in southern Florida from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. It seemed like I would never find this elusive plant.

Weeks later, I was driving home from work, when I noticed huge yellow flowers hanging over a fence. Of course, I did a u-turn as quickly as possible and investigated. After several turns, I finally found the house with the brilliant yellow flowers. The house had a massive cast-iron gate with an intercom system for any visitors. I walked up to the intercom and pushed the button. A crackly voice came across the speakers, which I could not understand. Back in those days, our technology was lacking, to say the least. The intercom sounded like a bunch of jumbled noise. However, I was already totally deaf in my right ear and starting to lose hearing in my left ear, which made the situation more complicated. I tried several times to ask where they had purchased the plant; however, I could not understand what they were saying.

I decided after several attempts just to give up and go home. I grabbed my camera out of my car and started taking pictures before I left. That is when I heard a voice from the other side of the fence, Can I help you? I could not see over the fence to see whom I was talking to, so I yelled across the fence. I asked where they purchased the beautiful brugmansia. I could hear the voice from across the fence respond, but I could not clearly make out what they were saying. Since I could not understand them, I decided to leave. As I was opening the door to my car, a lady stepped out from behind the fence and got my attention. I discovered that the lady was the homeowner and a plant lover. She took me into her beautiful tropical yard, and we walked to the brugmansia. She called the plant an Angels Trumpet. She also explained that she is looking for more colors than the yellow one hanging over her fence and the white one she had next to the entrance of her home. She had also searched everywhere looking for this elusive plant.