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Flora and Fauna - Brugmansia:
Angel's Trumpets are Drop-Dead Gorgeous -- But Not to be Feared

A common name for Brugmansia is angel's trumpets, which refers to the shape of the flowers. (Photo by Eric Braun)

One of the most striking plants found in Lima is the large shrub or small tree with massive amounts of hanging, white, lily-like flowers. It belongs to the Solanaceae (nightshade) family, which comprises two genera: Brugmansia and Datura. Members of the Brugmansia species include Brugmansia arborea, B. suaveolens, B. candida, B. aurea and B. sanguinea. Commonly, they're known as angel's trumpets or Peruvian trumpets, a reference to the shape of their flowers, and are sold in Lima as floripondio.

Brugmansias are taller and more tree-like than Daturas, which are woodier and more shrub-like. Daturas live only three to four years, grow lower to the ground and seldom reach more than six feet. They have smaller trumpets that turn slightly outward, while the Brugmansia trumpets measure about 9 to 24 inches long and open downward like bells. Brugmansias can grow over 20 feet in height at maturity and form a six-foot canopy. A single plant can bear 100-200 flowers at the same time, making an “extremely dramatic display.”

Named for Sebald Justin Brugmans, a Dutch professor of natural history (1763-1819), Brugmansias are native to South America, where they grow from Colombia to Chile. The first variety of angel's trumpets to be introduced to Europe was Brugmansia suaveolens, which became popular during Victorian times.

Brugmansias like lots of sun and warm, humid days with temperatures between 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit and cool nights not less than 40 degrees. Easy to grow from cuttings and carefree, the plants are said to bloom “off and on” all year, with different species blooming at different times. Here in Lima the plants seemed to be at their peak in July, although many websites said they bloom in the summer in the States. The flowers are very aromatic and said to have a musky smell reminiscent of lemons, mint, lilies or hyacinths. The American Brugmansia & Datura Society's website likened the aroma to Lady Speed Stick “Light Musk” and Lemon Pledge furniture polish. Flowers placed under the pillow are said to induce sleep and cause erotic dreams.

A Brugmansia decorates the front entrance to Club Planicie (Photo by Virginia Braun)

As members of the nightshade family, Brugmansias are related to tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and tobacco, along with the poisonous belladonna and henbane. All parts of the Brugmansia contain scopolamine, atropine and hyoscyamine, which are psychoactive alkaloids that have long been used by shamans to induce hallucinogenic visions and trances during religious ceremonies. Native Andean Indians drink teas made of the flowers and leaves, and sometimes the ground-up seeds are mixed into chicha. In pre-Conquest times, women and slaves were given concoctions made from Brugmansia plants to drink before they were buried alive with a dead chief and his gold. Here in Peru, the plant has also been known as yerba de huaca or huacahaca, “plant of the tomb,” because grave robbers believed that the prophetic powers of the plant could help them locate these gold-rich tombs.

In Brazil, natives smoke the leaves for their narcotic effect, which is also said to relieve asthma. In “The Teachings of Don Juan,” Carlos Castaneda describes taking sacred datura, which is native to the American Southwest and a close relative of Brugmansia. At the turn of the century, Burundanga, a fine light-yellow powder made from the dried, ground-up flowers and leaves of Brugmansias, was given as a pain reliever to women in childbirth. Other medical uses are for treating Parkinson's disease, motion sickness and as a sedative. Spies are also said to have used the drug as a truth serum, and Celia Cruz even sang a popular song called “Burundanga.”

Burundanga has recently surfaced as a drug used by street criminals to subdue their victims. It can be dusted on pieces of paper and handed to people in taxis, sprayed or put in drinks, chewing gum or chocolate. People exposed to the drug rapidly become submissive and can be made to hand over their wallets. When the drug wears off, the victims can't remember what happened. Warnings about the drug were posted last month on the Expatriate List, an e-mail list composed of more than 400 English-speaking foreigners in Lima who advertise items for sale and share common concerns. Aran Gough, a frequent contributor, wrote to say his wife was fortunate to have escaped from a taxi in the middle of an intersection when she suspected the driver had exposed her to Burundanga. Passengers were advised not to accept anything from taxi drivers, to make sure the windows are partially rolled down and if an odor of smelly feet was detectable, to get out immediately.

Although Brugmansias are considered poisonous plants, people shouldn't be afraid to include them in their gardens. Other poisonous plants include azalea, iris, daffodil, crocus, oleander, lily of the valley, Easter lily, poinsettia, hydrangea, mountain laurel and rhododendron. Children should be warned not to eat the flowers, but they taste so terrible, that kids and pets generally don't ingest them. People should avoid getting the sap into their eyes when cutting the plants and should wash their hands after handling them. -- Virginia Vickers Braun

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