• An angel trumpet in bloomJupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
  
  A member of the nightshade family, angel trumpet (Brugmansia suaveolens) is a tropical flowering plant that hails from southeast Brazil. Though highly poisonous, the plant is cultivated for its remarkable trumpet-shaped blooms, which are up to a foot long and sweetly fragrant. Gardeners interested in cultivating angel trumpets can follow a selection of growing tips to maintain a healthy plant.
  
  

Location

• Angel trumpets are tropical plants that require a warm climate. The plant may be grown as an evergreen in USDA Zones 10 to 12. Gardeners in zones USDA 8B to 9B can expect the plant to die down to the ground in the winter and re-emerge in spring; however, this may weaken the plant after several years and eventually lead to the death of the plant. A full sun location is essential for this plant in cooler regions. Even in the warmest areas, plants grown in partial shade will produce fewer flowers than those grown in full, all-day sun.
  
  

Overwintering

• Gardeners can help protect the frost-tender plant by mulching the soil around the stem with dry leaves or straw. A thin layer of one of these organic materials will help to keep the plant warm through winter frosts. Gardeners may also dig up small angel trumpet bushes and pot them so that they may be brought indoors. Angel trumpet may continue flowering if kept in a warm greenhouse through the winter, though the plant may also be kept in a basement or garage. Plants in low-light, cool indoor areas will undergo a winter dormancy before awakening in the spring. Wait until temperatures outdoors are comparable to temperatures indoors before replanting the flower.
  
  

Pruning

• Angel trumpets may be pruned strategically so that the plant will produce more stems and flowers. Wait until the plant has matured enough to branch out into a basic "Y" shape before pruning. You may twist the stems of young plants into shapes, or even combine two or three separate plants by gently twining the stems around each other. When pruning, cut old growth off close to the trunk, avoiding new branches. You may wish to fertilize the plant during spring with a nitrogen- and potassium-based fertilizer to encourage new flower and stem growth. Dilute the fertilizer with water, and feed the plant every three or four weeks during the growing season.