Brugmansia SUAVEOLENS 'YELLOW'

Brugmansia SUAVEOLENS 'YELLOW' - Yellow angel's trumpet, Sweet angel's trumpet, Brugmansia suaveolens 'Yellow'.

Brugmansia is a genus of seven species of woody shrubs and small trees in the family Solanaceae, native to subtropical and tropical regions of South America - from Venezuela and Colombia along the Andes to northern Chile, as well as in southeastern Brazil.

Brugmansias are evergreen or semi-deciduous shrubs and small trees 2 to 9 m (6.6-30 ft) tall with soft large leaves. The plants possess a unique developmental strategy: Brugmansia does not flower until the first fork of the stem forms at a height of 80-150 cm (31-59 in), and cuttings from the lower vegetative zone must also reach this height before flowering - unlike cuttings from the upper flowering zone, which bloom at a low height.

The main distinguishing feature of the genus is large, tubular, pendant "angel's trumpets" from 15 to 50 cm (6-20 in) in length with a five-lobed limb, pollinated by large nocturnal hawk moths and bats. The fragrance of the flowers intensifies in the evening and night hours.

All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids (atropine, scopolamine, hyoscyamine) in high concentrations and rank among the most toxic ornamental plants. Working with the plant requires gloves, as the alkaloids are absorbed through the skin.

The most widely cultivated species of the genus and the parent form of thousands of cultivars and hybrids is Brugmansia suaveolens, which reaches the size of a small tree in tropical climates while maintaining a compact size in container cultivation in temperate latitudes with regular pruning.

Yellow angel's trumpet is a semi-deciduous shrub or small tree 2-5 m (6.6-16 ft) tall in cultivation, endemic to the coastal rain forests of southeastern Brazil, where it grew below 1,000 m (3,300 ft) above sea level along riverbanks and forest edges with high humidity and abundant rainfall. The leaves are large, oval, up to 25 × 15 cm (10 × 6 in), slightly velvety to the touch, with a wavy margin, dark green. The trunk and branches are woody, fragile at branching nodes.

The variety differs from the typical species in flower color - instead of white, they are colored in a warm yellowish or creamy-yellow tone, retaining all specific characteristics. The flowers are large, pendant, tubular, 25-30 cm (10-12 in) long, with a scent that intensifies in the evening hours, reminiscent of a blend of jasmine, hyacinth, and citrus. Flowering occurs only after the plant reaches its first stem fork at a height of 80-150 cm (31-59 in), and continues in flushes throughout the warm season.

Brugmansia seeds are large, brown, angular-triangular, 8-12 mm (0.3-0.5 in) in diameter, with a rough corky coat. Seeds may not reproduce the exact coloration of the parent plant - cuttings are preferred to preserve cultivar characteristics. Before sowing, seeds are soaked in warm water (35-40 °C / 95-104 °F) for 24 hours to soften the coat, then treated in a 1% potassium permanganate solution for 1-2 hours. Growth stimulants can additionally be used (SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon). Stratification is not required. Scarification is not mandatory; however, careful scarification of the corky coat with a sharp tool or sandpaper substantially accelerates germination. Gloves should be worn when working with seeds and the plant.

Sowing is carried out at any time of year in a loose, well-drained substrate based on peat potting mix with addition of sand or perlite. Seeds require a small amount of light to germinate - they are laid out on the surface and only lightly pressed into the substrate or covered with a 0.5 cm (0.2 in) layer. The substrate is kept consistently slightly moist by misting from a spray bottle; crops are placed in a greenhouse and maintained at a temperature of 25-29 °C (77-84 °F) in bright diffused light. Daily ventilation is mandatory - waterlogging provokes fungal infection in seedlings.

Sprouts appear in 14-60 days; the minimum period is about 2 weeks under optimal conditions, the average is about 4 weeks, and the maximum possible is several months. After germination, the cover is removed gradually and the seedlings are moved closer to the light. Pricking out is carried out after the formation of 2 pairs of true leaves into individual pots with nutritious substrate. Until the first fork forms at a height of 80-150 cm (31-59 in), no flowering will occur - this is a biological characteristic of the genus.

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Brugmansia is grown under bright light - full sun or light shading during the hottest hours. Optimal placement is a south- or southwest-facing window, and in summer - an open sunny location outdoors. With insufficient light, flowering is sparse or absent, and leaves become pale. Daylight duration is not restricted - the plant flowers under long day length.

The optimal temperature during active growth is 18-30 °C (64-86 °F). The species belongs to the "warm" section of the genus and prefers consistent warmth without sharp nighttime temperature drops. Wintering is at 5-10 °C (41-50 °F) in dormancy with minimal watering - the plant may shed some leaves, which is normal. It does not tolerate frost: at temperatures below 0 °C (32 °F), the above-ground part freezes out. In containers, it is brought indoors before frosts arrive.

Watering is abundant and regular during active growth: the substrate is kept evenly moist, as Brugmansia is extremely sensitive to drying out - drooping leaves and scorched edges signal a lack of moisture. Soft water at room temperature is used, and excess water from the tray is drained. In winter, watering is reduced to a minimum, preventing the substrate from drying out completely. Air humidity is kept moderate; in dry air, leaves lose turgor and attract spider mites.

The substrate should be nutritious, loose, and well-drained: universal potting soil with added perlite (20-30%) or a mixture of leaf mold, peat, humus, and perlite in equal parts with 2 parts sod soil added. Drainage at the bottom of the pot is mandatory. The container must be large - Brugmansia actively builds a vigorous root system. During active growth, it is fed weekly with nitrogen fertilizer, and during flower bud initiation - with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer; alternating mineral and organic fertilizers is recommended. Spring pruning is formative, cut back to nodal forks, stimulating bushy branching and profuse flowering.

Vegetative propagation: semi-hardwood cuttings 15-20 cm (6-8 in) long with 1-2 nodes are taken during active growth, all leaves are removed except the top pair, and the cutting is rooted in water or moist perlite at a temperature of 20-25 °C (68-77 °F). Rooting occurs in 2-4 weeks. Cuttings from the upper flowering zone bloom significantly earlier than cuttings from the lower vegetative part.