Brugmansia and Datura: Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples [Paperback]

Ulrike Preissel (Author), Hans-Georg Preissel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2, 2002

Stately Angel's Trumpets -- Brugmansia -- are spectacular plants, growing like small trees and living for several years. Datura, sometimes called Thorn Apples, are mostly annuals and are cultivated like summer flowers. The impressive bell flowers of both varieties -- in white, yellow, pink and red -- are extraordinarily decorative. It's no surprise that Brugmansia and Datura are prized by enthusiasts around the world.

This comprehensive guide for North American gardeners features:

• history and folklore of Brugmansia and Datura
• the latest information on how to distinguish and classify Brugmansia and Datura
• form and shape of the flowers and plants -
• covering all aspects of species, hybrids and varities
• hybrid Angel's Trumpets and wild species of Thorn Apples
• building a Brugmansia collection
• care and cultivation
• over-wintering, propagation and breeding
• diseases and pests
• index, bibliography and nursery sources
• over 110 beautiful color photographs and numerous illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Unfamiliar and unorthodox, brugmansias and daturas are the floral opposites of the quaintly reassuring lilacs and pinks. Hothouse curiosities, angel's trumpets and thorn apples, respectively, were used by native cultures for their hallucinogenic and healing properties, anticipating modern medicine's use as antispasmodics. Under the expert tutelage of husband-and-wife authors Preissel, adventurous gardeners receive guidance on cultivating these alluring bell-shaped beauties for horticultural uses in sunrooms or outdoor containers. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

The Preissels have succeeded in producing a reference that makes the gardening world more aware of these unique plants ... The book is a welcome guide to growers and collectors of angel's trumpets. (John Bagnasco Garden Compass 2002)

Readable, profusely illustrated ... an excellent guide. (Robert Howard Hamilton Spectator 2002)

More than a 100-color photos and textbook style information make this a book for both the hobby gardener and serious horticulturist. (Marianne Binietti Seattle Post-Intelligencer 2002)

Packed into 144 pages are 110 photos and information about mythical perspectives and the realities of growing the plants.

Clarifies the distinguishing characteristics between these two genera and shares the rich cultural and historic origins of these often confused plants. (Kristin G. Pategas Ornamental Outlook 2003)

Clearly written for both professionals and amateurs, will become a standard in the literature on these plants. (Adele Kleine Current Books on Gardening and Botany [Chicago Bot 2003)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (March 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552095584
• ISBN-13: 978-1552095584
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 0.5 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #37 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > Ornamental Plants
  • #44 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > By Technique > Container Gardening
  • #92 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Landscape Design > Flowers

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent August 31, 2005

By W. Oliver TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

This is an excellent guide for anyone growing brugmansia (angel's trumpets) or datura (thorn apples) either in containers or in the ground. The history and folklore of the plants are discussed with particular attention to their hallucinogenic and medicinal qualities (both plants are poisonous). Classification of the plants are illustrated in detailed charts that show flower shapes, fruits, measurements of flowers, and basically everything (and more) than you would ever need to know. Other chapters cover cultivation, propagation, building a collection, natural changes (in brugmansia) and diseases and pests. The accompanying color photographs are excellent with amble close-ups and many full plant shots. Highly recommended for anyone interested in these outstanding and exotic plants.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guide for Growers of Angel Trumpets and Thorn Apples March 5, 2006

By David B Richman

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have liked Datura ever since I was a child and found a spectacular plant of Datura wrightii (sometimes synonymized with D. inoxia) growing in a pecan grove. The rolled up flower buds open in a fascinating way, in a spiral. In addition the white flowers open as evening comes on and produce an unbelievably strong fragrance. They are the epitome of a tropical flower.

However, if that is true of Datura, than it goes double for Brugmansia! I first saw a blooming plant in a back yard in San Francisco and then in the "wild" at the Asa Wright Nature Center in Trinidad. These are truly spectacular plants, even if all are poisonous (but then so are a number of our favorite garden plants like Narcissus and oleander!)

Ulrike and Hans-Georg Preissel have produced a beautiful guide to these wonderful flowers and their cultivation. In fact, the photographs are worth the price of the book alone. This is a great introduction to these exotic cousins of our garden Petunias. If you are at all interested in growing these remarkable tropical plants (which are not all that difficult), than this is your guide!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best about botany and gardening of these plants April 26, 2004

By Lotterleben

Format:Hardcover

the preissel book is the most complete description of the two genus brugmansia (angel's trumpets) and datura (thorn apple) available today. the pictures are beautiful, the language understandable (you won't need a degree in botany to proceed).
they give keys to distinguish all the known species, and (with brugmansia) for the usual hybrids, and they give many hints for gardening.

in short: highly recommendable.

by the way, if you don't know what plants angel's trumpets are, try a web search for pictures - you'll be interested, I promise.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book, but it lacked care help June 29, 2006

By B. Greer

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book gave me all the descriptive information I could want. There was not enough information regarding the care of Brugmansia's, like soil type preferred, feeding results, placement in garden. I can only grow one or two types due to my location and zone, so I would be more interested in how to care for the plants than in the different kinds. The book has beautiful pictures and I really enjoyed reading about all the different hybrids. I was hoping for more care and growing tips.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Photos, But Datura Information Biased July 23, 2008

By FYI

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

People rave here about this gorgeous book. The work of Richard Evans Shultes is far more professional and accurate, but this is an attractive read, with lovely photos, and the information on cultivating Brugmansia is superior.

But the arguments of the authors that D. meteloides is really D. inoxia, and that D. metel is really a different, deep purple variety, reveals their lack of real botanical experience with these plants out in the wild. A clue: the authors wrongly describe how the seed pods of meteloides open. In the wild, Datura is incredibly adaptive. In fact, one plant growing at an ancient pueblo site can demonstrate several traits (seemingly of different classifications) and vary in seed pod appearance. They also can last for many years, blooming all year around, even inside, under the right conditions. The authors at no point say that the only plant with more genetic complexity than Datura is corn. It is not true that D. wrightii, or D. meteloides (which they wrongly state is innoxia), only originated in the New World. These Datura have been widely cultivated throughout Africa. The deep purple "metel" is just another mutation. Adaptation and mutation of this species make the arguments of the Preissels specious.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best about botany and gardening of these plants April 26, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

the preissel book is the most complete description of the two genus brugmansia (angel's trumpets) and datura (thorn apple) available today. the pictures are beautiful, the language understandable (you won't need a degree in botany to proceed).

they give keys to distinguish all the known species, and (with brugmansia) for the usual hybrids, and they give many hints for gardening.

in short: highly recommendable.

by the way, if you don't know what plants angel's trumpets are, try a web search for pictures - you'll be interested, I promise.

9 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars "Scrumptious" for The Fancier December 23, 2002

By Shaul Sharoni

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The brief but extensively visual book presents the reader a wonderful world of Brugmansias and Daturas. Regardless of the the text, the photos are freestanding without even paying attention to anything else. A lively world of colors awaits the beholder (and reader), just waiting to be opened and dellighted in. Advisable for the lay as to the professional alike.

5.0 out of 5 stars Brugmansia and Datura: Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples May 8, 2011

By Eallu

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

It's too bad that this book isn't more common. I got it because I had some Brugmansia seed and wanted to give it the best chance to grow and thrive. This book provided that admirably, and in addition, it showed many varieties of which I hadn't been aware, expanding my wish list (I need a bigger greenhouse). The photographs are beautiful, the illustrations and instructions are clear. I would recommend the book to any and all people finding themselves intrigued by these wonderful, fragrant (though completely poisonous in all parts) plants.