Customer Reviews

Brugmansia and Datura: Angel's Trumpets and Thorn Apples

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I own the hard cover edition.
As a grower of brugmansias, it is always nice to have another good brugmansia book in my library.
I enjoy the photos most of all, but the info is helpful, too :)

This book was in perfect condition. It is very informative and just what I wanted. I was surprised to find so many varieties of this beautiful plant.