Brugmansia and her smallish container

Brugmansia on the picture is currently about 180 cm tall and is growing in 35 cm diameter container. I admit it looks surprising and I have noticed that the proportions between brugmansia and the container is getting a lot of attention, so today just short comment about it.

Maybe today the container looks small compare to the plant, but when I was choosing it in February, the height of the plant was about 80 cm. You can see on the picture red arrows which show the place where this brugmansia was pruned last autumn, right before going to ‘plant hotel’ in the cellar, as winters in zone 6 are too cold for it. Brugmansia can winter outdoor up to zone 10b.

Recommended reading: The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications

Concerning the size of this brugmansia in February, I thought the container will be sufficient. If you ask me today – I didn’t expect so fast growth.

Metal container or wooden old barrel? If you ask me, for aesthetic reasons I would vote for barrel, but then how to overwinter the huge plant? Take it out of the barrel? How? Barrel is 70 cm high, plant is close to 2 meters. Such barrel full of dirt is very heavy… This metal container is a choice of convenience. See the handles? It is very easy to change its place. Do you have any tips on how to handle big brugmansia in big wooden barrel for overwintering?

After studying 'brugmansia flowering' subject closer, I suspect that late flowering might be caused also by too low pruning. Only flowering top should be removed – you can tell which part is the flowerin top by looking at the plant. At certain point brugmansia body starts to divide – this is the place where flowering top starts.

Yesterday I discovered that one of the cuttings I took last autumn is going to bloom. That is real surprise. Pictures are coming soon.

Recommended further reading The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications