Tropicals - Brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet)
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  (September) I purchased several angels trumpet plants locally here in Desha County. They have had several blooms and are six feet tall and are planted in a flower bed. Will they usually be winter hardy here in southeast Arkansas? If not, what should I do to save them?

  There are two plants commonly called Angels Trumpet -- Datura and Brugmansia. Datura flowers normally face upwards and come in white or purple flowering forms, while the Brugmansia blooms usually face downwards and range in colors from yellow, orange, pink and white. The Datura forms are usually hardy throughout most of Arkansas (although they do die to the ground in the winter), while the Brugmansia forms vary by variety. Most are not hardy past zone 8. In Desha County, I would think you should be safe, unless we have a particularly cold winter. My guess, from the size plant you have is that you are growing a Brugmansia, which usually grow much larger than the Datura. Mulch them extra for the winter. If they are in the containers, they will be less hardy and should be moved indoors.

  Can Brugmansia overwinter outdoors in southern Arkansas? I can find nothing on this plant in any of my gardening books. Mine is in a large pot, but it is sending roots out the bottom so I assume it is pot bound and needs to be transplanted. If I put it in a bigger pot I will not be able to move it without a forklift, so I was wanting to plant it in my flower bed. But I wasn't sure it could take the winter cold.

  I would not attempt to overwinter Brugmansia (also called Datura and angel's trumpet) outside, even in south Arkansas. The minimum winter temperature is not supposed to get below 50 degrees. If the plant is root bound, consider repotting, but to limit size, don't move it up a pot size. Simply take the plant out of the container it is in, shake off the old soil, and trim some of the roots off. Then put it back in the same container with fresh soil. This alleviates the root-bound condition, and should slow down new top growth without hurting the plant in the slightest. You can repot as you move it indoors for the winter.

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