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[PinkTarantula]

I managed to get my hands on a nice and healthy B. Vulcanicola. It’s about one foot tall give or take a couple inches. I have no prior experience with any Brugmansia and I understand this one to be a bit more temperamental as a “cold” species. I’m in zone 7b. The seller, although friendly and professional, didn’t seem to be very knowledgeable about care so I figured i’d check here. I’d love to be able to send out free cuttings this year or next.  I normally grow 100% organic but I’m not as adamant on a plant I don’t plan to invest. So I’ll do what’s best for the plant so long as it’s not overly harsh chems and the like. Thanks!

1 Like XDX likes this.

[Toxicodendron]

Congrats on the score!

While I have not grown one myself, I talked to a grower a few years ago who had one. His was in a shaded greenhouse in zone 7 or so. Shade cloth & on the end of a greenhouse that had a deciduous tree growing over the top of it. His was pretty stressed when I saw it. I think even in a shaded greenhouse next to an exhast blower and a mister it was too hot.

 

[Bach]

I was able to maintain one for for about a year when I lived in California and then perhaps another two years when I moved to Florida.

While it didn't seem particularly difficult it gave the best growth during cool weather, like mid 40sF at night and no higher than 75F daytime. I did keep it outside during our hot FL summers and it survived but didn't thrive during that time. It liked regular fertilizing and rich soil just like other brugs. In general it seemed most similar to B. sanguinea in terms of cultural requirements.

I think I would have been able to maintain it for a lot longer, but the squirrels decided to have some fun with it while I was at work one day and destroyed the whole plant which was about two feet tall at the time. 

Fuzzy little bastards did the same thing that same summer to a very nice Oncidium ceboletta I had. 

I hate squirrels.

[jbz711]

If this makes it to seed would you be willing to do a distribution? Species like this that are extinct in the wild need to be spread.

1 Like XDX likes this.

[XDX]

if its like sanguinea, then keep it cool. my sanguinea look scragily most times, thats for sure, but they actually perk up and look real lush and healthy come october-november in my chilly zone 8a. have yet to get one to flower, i really should start some new ones from seed, maybe ive learned enough to grow one nice from the start.
I would love a cutting of your vulcanicola when it comes time to trim it back!

[Botanicus]

I had one for awhile and it never thrived, likely because of the heat/humidity/vast array of pathogens here in Florida. While beautiful, it's one of those tropical montane species that seems to have a fairly limited range of conditions that keep it happy.

[Inyan]

I've only had one B. arborea make it in Florida... cultivar name Ida. B. sanguine and B. vulcanicola never grew for me in Florida for more than a few feet.

With that said, heat is B. vulcanicola's enemy. I have grown her very successfully in Belgium and I've known others that have grown B. sanguinea in zone 8b. Give it a go and try to protect from midday sun and you may be okay.

Air layering is probably going to be your best bet for propagating this one when the time comes.