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In the Gardens

Yellow Angel’s Trumpet,

White Angel’s Trumpet

Brugmansia candida

Bloom time

All year round.

Characteristics

The up to 4 m (4,4 yd.) tall shrub has numerous, trum-pet-like blooms that are up to 20 cm (8‘‘) long. The five petals grow together and form the trumpet’s “neck”. At the verge of the broad opening they run into pointed ends. Young leaves are covered with hairs and slightly serrated, later they become smooth and entire.

Site:

On Madeira you find Angel’s Trumpets in many gardens and parks. They grow in coastal areas and in the south of the Island even up to an alti-tude of 500 m (550 yd.). Beautiful specimens you will find in the park of the Quinta Vigia (198), Funchal, and in the Palheiro Gardens (191).

Interesting to know:

In former days the plants of the genus Brug-mansia were assigned to the genus Datura (thorn apple). Today only herbal plants with spiny fruits are classified as Daturas. The Angel’s Trumpet is an hybrid of various South American wild species. You may also encounter the Gold-en Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia aurea), a simi-lar plant native to the northern Andes that is as well cultivated on Madeira as a garden plant. All parts of Brugmansia plants contain toxic alka-loids. Golden Angel’s Trumpet is said to be espe-cially poisonous. Indian medicine men prepare an intoxicating drink from its leaves and seeds.

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