Tuesday, February 23, 2010

INTERPRETING THE LANGUAGE

---CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT---


This morning I found my Angel Trumpet plant blooming for the first time this year.

It's a Brugsmansia that comes from South America.

Trouble is it speaks neither Spanish or English. But it has been trying to tell me something by it's appearance.

It's saying that it is not totally happy with it's environment and is stressed out.

Even though it is blooming it is not up to it's potential.

It's language is non verbal with the small yellowing leaves and stunted growth. It's said that over 90% of communication is non verbal. Don't believe it just ask any mother who can take one look at her child and know instantly that they are sick.



This picture shows what a happy Angel Trumpet looks like. Notice the difference?

The fact is this plant is from a cutting of the same plant as picture #1 that I gave to a friend several years ago.

Now to figure out just what is making my plant unhappy. Could be the sun. I moved it out into the full sun two years back when it wasn't growing well in the shade.

Maybe it's not getting enough nutrients in the soil. A distinct possibility with my South Florida sand.

Anyway I am taking a new perspective on some of my posts. An viewpoint proposed by one of my gardening blog friends a while back. None other than the Rose Maestro himself, Jim the gaudy gardener.

http://thegaudygarden.blogspot.com/

Jim suggested that most gardening blogs show only their successes and not their failures. I agree and figured out a long time ago that I learn more from what I do wrong than from what I do right.


I have also learned sometimes it's best just to shut up and listen.

So I am soliciting suggestions from anyone with experience with the Angel Trumpet plant.

What do you suggest needs adjusting to make this plant happy.




The Angel Trumpet is a cool plant and really easy to propagate from cuttings.

I have given away many new plants from this one bush.

Just cut the stem like in the picture and stick the stalk in the soil upright and a new plant will grow.

One word of caution. All of this plant is poisonous and can do nasty things to you or a pet if eaten. If you handle it best wear gloves and wash your hands often.

Some stupid folks intentionally eat parts of this plant or make tea from it to get high. Last time I was in Nicaragua a guide told me that it is a local custom for teen girls to drink tea made from the Angel Trumpet plant. The poison it contains causes their eyes to dilate which is supposed to make them more attractive. Crazy.

---sanddune--





7 comments:

  1. Your angel trumpet looks pretty happy to me. You're lucky...mine still hasn't sent one leaf out since it froze. I can almost smell the sweet scent as I read your post...enjoy it!

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  2. I have admired angel trumpet but never grown one, so I can only guess what yours needs. The flowers look nice. Maybe more nitrogen to promote green leaf growth?

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  3. I don't have any experience with this plant. But I just got three cuttings from my friend, and before I had time to pot them up, I just stick them in the water. Two days later, I can see some new growth out of the cuttings, amazing! Now I potted them up, and will wait for they grow a little bigger to put in the ground, I will be very interested to hear whatever the advice you got :) Althoug I kind of agree with Susan and debsgarden, with the flower like that, they seem happy to me. hehe

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  4. Mine are still recovering from this year's freezes.One has started from the ground.I do absolutely nothing to mine.No fertilzer,nothing.They get early morning and late afternoon sun.And bloom prolifically.I do trim the lower leaves,but only because I want them to look like trees.
    ChrisC

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  5. Susan,
    I know that you can cut them almost back to the ground. One of the Angel Trumpet plants I planted at my Mom's up in Jax. Fl freezes every winter. I cut it back and it always comes back when the weather warms again.

    Deborah,
    Some of the reading on this plant that I have been doing suggests that it likes to be fed often. Mine gets no fertilizer perhaps that is the missing factor. I'm going to find some organic supplement and see if it will perk it up.

    Ami,
    The Angel Trumpet are one of the easiest plants I have found to propagate from cuttings. Yours should do well. Mine here are healthy but puny compared to some of it's cuttings growing in other locations.I'm thinking that it needs some supplements to boost it's growth. Good luck with your plants.

    ChrisC,
    I didn't fertilize this one either but I think I will start and see if it does better. Thanks for stopping by my blog .I had the chance to look at some of your blog and will be returning.

    ReplyDelete
  6. No advice here. I have never grown this plant but have always admired it. Those flowers are so exotic looking. Hope you are able to determine just how to help your plant flourish. I agree with the idea of chronicling both successes and failures in our gardens. My blog's purpose is to serve as a recordkeeping tool for me to have as a reference. It's nice to learn from others' blogs as well.

    ReplyDelete
  7. NanaK,
    I agree with the concept of recording both as Jim suggested.I really learn a lot from other garden bloggers and get lots of ideas to use in my garden. I figgure I will slowly start to give the Angel trumpet plant some nutrients and see if it likes them.My soil here is mostly sand and not many nutrients in it. Thanks for stopping by and your commment.

    ReplyDelete

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