Thinking of purchasing unrooted Brugmansia cuttings?
Propagating unrooted brugmansia cuttings into bare-rooted plants, is a very simple process. Simple however, is not to be confused with guaranteed success! No plant comes with a guarantee of success and this is obviously due to many different variables... from your own skills and know how, to the growing conditions you provide and your unique climatic conditions, presence of pests and soil types/quality etc.
If you're looking for detailed growing tips, you can access these any time here.
Basically there are two propagation techniques I use, but I generally always start with water-rooting my brugmansia cuttings.
I take a 20-25cm semi-hardwood cutting and place it in a glass jar and fill with approx 2.5 - 4 cm of water (see above image). If your water is chlorinated, allow it to stand overnight before placing your cuttings in the water. Change the water every 1-2 days. Do not put the jar in direct sunlight. When you see little white nubs (lenticels) form, they are ready to be removed from water and potted up into good quality potting mix.
I often wait until they form roots first (see above image), before potting up, however do check the cuttings progress, as they can be prone to going slimy and rotting, if kept in water too long... hence I prefer to pot them up the moment lenticils have formed, as they will continue developing their root system once in soil.
Be careful not to allow soil to become overly wet, as this is the greatest cause of cuttings rotting.
Do not fertilise until your cutting has a well-established root system.
The other propagation technique I use, is soil-rooting.
You may wish to try propagating cuttings directly in potting mix. Following is the technique I utilise:
Place the unrooted cutting in a pot, filled with quality potting mix. I often make my own soil blend, which is usually a mix of quality commercial potting mix, peat moss (or coir), mushroom compost and a little perlite. Used in soil mixes, perlite will improve aeration and modify the soil substructure, keeping it loose, well-draining and defying compaction, which is important whilst your cutting develops roots, as overly damp soil risks the cuttings becoming slimy and rotting. In 2021, I discovered a commercial potting mix blend, called Ultra Grow, which I source from Centenary Landscaping Supplies in Brisbane. I am so impressed with this soil, that I have now have it delivered annually, by the cubic meter and dig it in around all my established brugmansias, to re-condition the garden soils. And typically, I do propagate brugmansia cuttings in the same soil now.
Once potted up, water the cuttings regularly. Little white nubs, called lenticels will form in a few weeks, which then develop into roots. Do not fertilise your cutting, until it has a very well-established root system.
You will find answers to common questions asked by our customers, in the form of FAQ’s detailed here https://www.brisbanebrugmansiaangelstrumpets.com.au/faqs
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