Brugmansia aurea

Brugmansia aurea, the golden angel's trumpet, is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae, endemic to Ecuador. Since March 2014, it has been listed as Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN but before that, it was listed as Vulnerable.

Despite being declared extinct in its native range, Brugmansia aurea is a popular ornamental and is widely cultivated, like the other members of its genus. It is sold and grown as a garden plant, described as a large evergreen subtropical shrub capable of growing to 20 ft in height. The large, pendent, trumpet-shaped yellow or white blooms appear in summer and autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. These flowers produce a sweet and pleasant fragrance, which is at its strongest in the evening.



Etymology
The Latin specific epithet aurea means "golden".

Cultivation
Several cultivars exist, notably 'Grand Marnier' with peach-coloured flowers. As with other members of its genus, it cannot handle temperatures below 5 C, but in colder climates can be placed outside in a sheltered spot during the summer months.

Synonyms

 * Brugmansia affinis
 * Datura aurea
 * Datura affinis

Toxicity
All parts of the plant are poisonous.

Uses
It is used as a hallucinogen. Its most potent cultivar is Culebra Borrachero, which has a high concentration of the psychoactive scopolamine. It has also been used as a truth serum. Borrachero loosely translates to "get-you-drunk", and scopolamine is also known as Devil's Breath and burundanga.