The Angel's Trumpets, as the Brugmansia are also know as, grow well in full coastal sun or shade with an occasional to moderate irrigation. Although these more tropical varieties are cold hardy to about 20-25 degrees F, they can resprout from the base and are often semi-deciduous in colder years. The large specimen plants of most varieties in our gardens have survived short duration temperatures to around 20° F with only tip damage and repeated short duration nights down to 25° F. Hummingbirds and moths are attracted to the large fragrant flowers. They benefit from a hard cut back or pruning for shape in the spring but use care working with them as all parts of these plants are poisonous, which also makes them resistant to deer predation.

Brugmansia is a genus in the Potato Family (Solanaceae) that has 7 species, all from South America and the cultivated varieties are often hybrids between several of these species. The name for the genus honors the Dutch naturalist, physician and botanist Sebald Justinus Brugmans (1763-1819), who taught at the University of Leiden. Angel's Trumpet is the most used of the common names, but other names include Belladona and Tree Datura, although the latter is somewhat misleading as Datura is also a genus name to which Brugmansia is closely related and in the past was included with. The main distinguishing aspect that separates the Brugmansia from the true species of Datura is that the Brugmansia are large shrubs or small trees with pendant flowers and the Datura, or Jimsonweeds (a name corrupted from Jamestown weed), are annual or perennial herbaceous plants with upright facing flowers. The species of Brugmansia are divided into two natural, genetically isolated groups, the section Brugmansia, also known as the "Warm Group" with the species involved in most of the cultivars we grow, Brugmansia aurea, Brugmansia insignis, Brugmansia suaveolens and Brugmansia versicolor. The other section, the Sphaerocarpium, also called the "Cold Group" includes the hardier species Brugmansia arborea, Brugmansia sanguinea and Brugmansia vulcanicola.

We have long presumed this compact floriferous plant to be a Brugmansia suaveolens hybrid but were never able to ascertain who the breeder of the plant was or who the Betty Marshall was that the plant was named for, We grew it from 1995 until 2010. It is somewhat similar to the plant we continue to grow as Brugmansia suaveolens 'Single White', with the exception of that 'Single White' tends to hold its flowers inclined a bit more horizontally, facing outward instead of down. 

The information about Brugmansia 'Betty Marshall' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant.