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

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.

(20020615)

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

Review

The book is a welcome guide to growers and collectors of angel's trumpets. (John Bagnasco Garden Compass 20020614)

Readable, profusely illustrated ... an excellent guide. (Robert Howard Hamilton Spectator 20021212)

Clarifies the distinguishing characteristics ... and shares the rich cultural and historic origins of these often confused plants. (Kristin G. Pategas Ornamental Outlook 20020620)

100-color photos and textbook style information make this a book for both the hobby gardener and serious horticulturist. (Marianne Binietti Seattle Post-Intelligencer 200306)

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

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 )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Firefly Books (March 2, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1552095983
• ISBN-13: 978-1552095980
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,036,640 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, August 31, 2005

By 

W. Oliver (Alabama) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Brugmansia and Datura: Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples (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.

12 of 12 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 (Mesilla Park, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Brugmansia and Datura: Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples (Paperback)

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 (Old Europe) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brugmansia and Datura: Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples (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.