The line between a natural medicine and a deadly poison can be a very fine one indeed, as in the case of the magnificent Angel's Trumpet. Brugmansia, a member of the Solanancae family, shares the name "Angel's Trumpet" with it's more widely known cousin, Datura. The Brugmansia is sometimes referred to as one of the world's most deadly plants. So imagine my incredible surprise to see it growing and flowering, in great abundance, at the new Ba Na Hills family tourist park in Hoi An - Da Nang, Central Vietnam. Yes, I snapped these pics myself just a few days ago.
In case you missed the post, my friend Kate and I rode the longest single track cable car in the world to get up to the new Golden Bridge. An incredible and memorable experience, to say the least. Albeit confronting.
The gardens way up high in the mountains are DRIPPING with Brugmanisa in full bloom. The colours range from crisp white to a smooth creamy yellow to a deep, almost-apricot. Their fragrance on a hot, still, moonlit night is both luscious and exotic, and indescribable. But something everyone should drink in, once in a lifetime, in the arms of a lover.
Angel's Trumpet is fascinating in that it's name give's away one of it's strongest attributes: it has historically been used as a tea or tincture to bring people to the very edge of Heaven (supposedly) where they can hear the angels. It has been used as a natural anaesthetic in years past, and as a psychedelic to take people to the very cusp of physical existence, sometimes as a treatment for 'madness'.
Needless to say, dosage is everything and there are countless cases of death recorded in people who ingested it and took themselves out too far. ALL parts of the plant are heavily toxic, whether touched or ingested by mouth.
Ancient lore from Central America postulates that it was given as a drink before human sacrifice. Some scholars even believe it was used in Egyptian times to "calm" the wives and servants of the Pharaohs who had died - the extended household, of course, being expected to be entombed alive with him in case he needed anything in the afterlife.
In Thailand, it is often grown around temples and, indeed, also here at Ba Na Hills in Vietnam it was at its most abundant around the Buddha Pagoda. A combination of the trumpet shape which magnifies sound, and Brugmansia's propensity to take people to the edge of the spirit world, has led to this plant being believed to have magical powers to amplify the spirit voices in the physical world. Hence it is often seen around temples here in Asia.
The amazing thing is that Brugmansia also had very simple, day to day, natural medicine uses too. It was used as a pain medicine, to relieve cough, as an expectorant and to help calm agitated and unruly children.
Native Hawaiians have traditionally smoked the leaves to induce a hallucinogenic state in ritual.
That said, Brugmansia and Datura are deadly and the poison can be absorbed through both contact with the skin, or through ingestion. It causes greatly accelerated heart rate, cardiac rhythmic disturbances, and broncho-constriction which can be fatal for people with asthma.
Two things totally fascinate me about Brugmansia:
Brugmansia has a lovely nickname "Bella Donna". Historically it was used to make drops that would help to dilate the pupils of a woman, thereby making her appear sexually aroused and, therefore, more beautiful. Who knew.
And the scientific name Brugmansia was given in honour of the Dutch natural history professor, Sebald Justin Brugmans. But 'Brugman', in the Dutch language, actually means "the bridge man". And Brugmansia IS exactly that - the plant that the ferryman might use to take souls over the bridge.
So much beauty, so much to learn, and so much caution needs to be taken with some of these incredible, but also very, very dangerous, natural medicine plants.
Can't help but wonder about the risks of a contact poison planted in a family tourist park. What were they thinking? Be careful if you see the luscious 'Bella Donna' - treat her with phenomenal respect, drink in her exotic fragrance BUT don't touch unless you really know what you are doing and are aware of her dark powers.
Appreciating the natural medicine plants which Mother Earth lavishes on us.
Contributing to the @earthtribe. Cos it MATTERS.
Interesting plant! I was given an early warning about it, back when I was a curious teenager interested in trying whatever I could get my hands on. It was a cautionary tale about this kid I never met myself, but was a friend of a good friend of mine, who told me about his experience. He made himself a tea out of the flowers of the Angel Trumpet, and as a result ended up holding a coat-hanger in his hand while staring at a wall for days, apparently stuck in a fantasy of playing some imaginary video game. During this time it was impossible to communicate with him, as he wouldn't talk, nor eat, drink, sleep, etc. Even when he regained his senses and was released from hospital, he was never the same, having lost his passionate and enthusiastic personality he had been known for. (Though everyone kept saying how lucky he was to have made it back.) So I made sure to remember this plant, and what it could do.
Strangely, ever since I remember coming across it on so many occasions, whether covering a garden fence in Portugal, or as an intentionally planted part of the Phoenix, the prototype of the most high-end Earthship, presented in the Greater World Community in Taos, NM, to be visited or rented. My reaction was just like yours: What were they thinking??? Especially in the later case it's quite likely that a family with kids might rent the Phoenix, just being interested in earthships. And whether they be drug-curious teens ("Dude, you know this flower can get us high!") or innocent children simply playing blowing on the trumpet... I can just imagine all sorts of things going wrong.
Shuddering to think about the friend of your friend with his coathanger, and never the same again. I'm just beginning my earthship journey and have never heard of the Phoenix - I'm off to google and add it to my list of wanna-see.
Two videos I can recommend, if you haven't seen them:
Garbage Warrior introduces Earthships, crazy Mike Reynolds, and his struggle with the law:
Don't Flush Your Freedom is an even better docu, mostly on the buildings, featuring yours truly:
The Phoenix is shown in both videos. You can't miss it, it's the most luxurious one. In the latter film Reynolds is actually talking in front of the Angel Trumpets.
Thanks for the tips... I shall add them to.my watch list & look out for the Angel's Trumpets. 😊
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dont miss this videeo, one of the best for learning!
You always have the BEST tips & suggestions for learning... so much more than just a guru of all things web. 😍 much gratitude. I shall watch this first. 😊
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Its a four parter so u need to search the other parts. This is the only movie that goes theough ALL the facts and actually really teaches.. enjoy!
Ah, belladonna, such a deadly gal.. and a beautiful one!! I have a not so funny story about my friend who drank datura. Luckily she lived to tell the tale. Not one to mess with! Gorgeous flowers though huh?
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And yet there ARE times when her potent medicine is needed. Messing with her to play quasi spiritual games? Errrr.... no. Her fragrance on a hot tropical night is heady to the point of surreal.
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Very nice write up on one of my favourite plants!!
We grow many different cultivars of Brugmansia here in Australia also. Check out my second last post for examples.
I handle the plant material from these plants quite often and have never been sick, I have never been game to consume them as just smelling and looking at the flowers is spiritual enough for me.
Thanks for sharing!!
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Good to know that not everyone has strong reactions to touching it.... yes, their beauty & fragrance are enough for me too, spiritually, but good to know its uses so they can be chosen, if needed.
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Exactly, great post!
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Add one more about Datura, it has a special place in Hindi tradition as it is the flower which are offered to God Shiva. Along with the spines fruit grow in the plant.
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Nice to know that.... must confess that my knowledge of Hindu & Brahmin cosmology is seriously wobbly. Nice addition to the knowledge base. 😊 Thank you.
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Hope you get some sooner..😉 hindu and brahmin is after you now..👍
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Yes... India is again on my horizon. 💚
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Always welcome..🙏
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I used to grow Angel's Trumpet, just by chance. It was planted in a garden at a previous residence. I loved the flowers - we called it trumpet flower. I had no idea there was so much history and culture with Angel's Trumpet. Thanks for sharing!
Happy to oblige with a little cultural and historical background... anytime. Yes, so many of us grow things that we really don't know very much about. Somehow I like knowing the lore, the magick and the historical uses of things.... :)
In Indonesia its called "Bunga Terompet"
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Always nice to know the various names for plants in the countries around us - thanks for that.
Wow! I always stop to enjoy the otherworldly fragrance of these flowers, and I knew that they were poisonous, but I never imagined all of THIS! Thanks for the heads up!
'Other-worldly fragrance' is spot on & very evocative... LOL... a little bit of forewarned is pretty helpful with this one. Thanks for reading. 😊
Thank you for sharing!
And thank you for stopping by. 😊
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Most welcome!
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