What is wrong with this picture - Red Brugmansia sanguinea ?

This is what happened to my Red Brugmansia sanguinea. I was evacuated for two weeks from the Santiago Canyon fires. My poor plants went through the terrible winds, and then drought for two weeks. When I got home - this particular brug didnt lose its leaves like my other ones did - instead it is leaning and I cant get it to stand upright. It used to stand easily over 10 - 12 feet tall. I noticed it was starting to lean, but now I dont think I can ever get it to stand upright. Is this ok? Can I just leave it like that? Is ther something I have been doing wrong?

Sherri
PS - I have had this brug for 3 years, and it bloomed one bloom this past spring - could it be that it doesnt like where it lives?

Sherri, I would stake it gently and each day it should straighten up more. Just keep tying the stem a little straighter gradually and I bet it will stand tall again.
I have had potted ones blow over and it doesn't take long for them to bend a lot:;but they did stand up again, after some pampering and a little time.Good luck!!
Hopefully your home wasn't harmed!
Bonnie

Thanks Bonnie - I will try staking. I'll need to go out and get some really tall ones !!

The miracle is that my home had no damage - just my yard.

Sherri

It looks to me as though it is too tall, and heavy and cannot hold it's head up, I think I would trim some of the side branches off, and then try to put an anchor on the shed and fasten the plant to it, and raise it a little every day so it is not under stress.
Lucky you to get it this big, and to bloom I had one for three years, it never grew much and never bloomed I finnaly threw it out.

So it isnt just me that it seems this particular brug is tempermental. I wonder if anyone has had success getting it to bloom like the other ones. I have a no name that after 3 months had blooms and has continued to grow and bloom ever since. ALong with some other ones that I have had no trouble with lots of blooms.

Thanks for the suggestions. If I cant get it to work - you might see me offering lots of cuttings because I will end up pulling it out and replacing it with another blomming brug.

Sherri

If you end up giving cuttings for postage I would like to try it again

Good Luck...

if it were me, I'd cut it back at least to a size I could manage a little easier.. Wait.. who am I kidding.. 3 years with no blooms? It would have been replaced 2 years ago! LOL

Jaz,
If you can't fix him & end up doing cuttings for postage, I would LOVE to get some, I have wanted this one for along time, just have never found a good price on 1. Hope you can fix him, but if not I'll be happy to give some a new home;)Anita

me to....... I would love to get some cuttings for postage

I will be cutting my brug this weekend.....I will d-mail everyone when I do and will be more than happy to send cuttings. Or you can d-mail me separately so I dont miss anyone.

I have to warn you - this particular brugs stems stay green. They dont get wood like - so they are hard to root. I think thats part of the reason it bent so easy - its very bendable/pliable. Some of the branches actually curl and swirl. Its very strange.

Sherri

UPDATE -

I cut my brug down shortly after my last post. I have been soaking the cuttings in water waiting for them to show some nubbies/nodules. This brug is extremely difficult to start from a cutting, so I will feel much better if they are showing signs of development before I ship them out to anyone. So far - NOTHING.

I hope they will be ready by next week.

Sherri

Kell has goten that brug to bloom

Sherri,
Still in line if you have any to share? Thanks so much..:)Anita

Jazmine, Mine did really well this year... grown from a seed early this year. I would have tried ladyblue's method of straightening it out. It's happened to me and it worked fine.

I'm really surprised that you haven't seen blooms on it yet. Mine's being overwintered inside and has just now stopped blooming. Normally, I just start them from seed, but this year's my first attempt to overwinter a Sang.

Sorry that you had to chop it down.

OH..hope the cuttings pan out... if there is an extra one... I'd be very interested.. I'll look for seeds.. though... hearing of some successes .. but mostly problems...I'll give it a try.. after getting dozens of blooms on my HG's ..I got from unhappy growers.. I need something to put me in my place...I do love trying the difficult/impossible.. and sometimes foolish...
welll just getting another to fit in the space here will perhaps be enough of a challenge.. to start with.. every success there after is gravy..
If it takes 25 gallons of water to water my house plants...
do I still need 2 humidifiers..YES.. Gordon

I think it didnt do well because of where I live. I am in zone 9 and get part sun half of the year and then full shade the remaining. I also have horrific soil - I live in a canyon and the soil is alkaline. I fed it just like the other ones - the other ones would not stop blooming - thats why I have been so excited that I actually found a plant that will grow in my conditions and bloom. I have three other kinds (white unknown, CG and another unknown) - but this one just kept growing getting taller (over 10 feet) - but never bloomed.

I am checking the cuttings everyday - will keep you posted :)

Sherri

It's my understanding from what I read that Sang's prefer cooler temps and will not bloom in zones like 9/10.

UPDATE

The brug cuttings have not developed any bumps/nubbies. If anyone is still interested in trying it themselves, please let me know. One end has been soaking in water since I cut them. No activity at all.

Please let me know if you are still interested, and we can make arrangements.

Sherri