Angel Trumpet – How Will The Cold Affect It?

Q: I have a special angel trumpet I planted this year and I don’t want to lose it. How will the cold affect it? 

A: Angel trumpet can sometimes be killed by Atlanta winters. Wait until Thanksgiving to cut the main stem down to six inches in height. Put a gallon pot over it and cover it with a big mound of straw or leaves.

For insurance, collect some green stems to root indoors. Use your pruning loppers to cut off a couple of large branches, then strip off the leaves. Cut a dozen 12-inch lengths of the branches, noting which end of each section pointed toward the branch tip and which end pointed toward the plant’s trunk. Place the “trunk” ends of the sections in a small plastic bucket and cover the ends with six inches of water.

Put the bucket and branch sections in a sunny window in an unused bedroom. You’ll be surprised to find how fast the bottom ends of the lengths will sprout roots. The other ends will soon sprout leaves. You can plant the rooted pieces in individual pots by late December and then plant them outdoors in April.

rooting technique using Confederate rose