Brugmansia from Seeds

Up until a few months ago, I did not even know what a brugmansia was. I had seen one in a hydroponics store I frequent. It was a massive tree that was almost 12 feet tall. One day I walked in and **voila** there before me were these huge hanging flowers. The owner told me to smell one......it was just heavenly.
Since then, I have received some seeds and planted them. I have four baby brug seedlings. I have them growing under a 400W metal halide, as it is winter here, and I could not provide that much light to them. So now I have to wait for the famous "Y" I guess a brug will not bloom until it has formed one of these "Y's". So as this seedling grows, I will have to remove the lower foliage to encourage this formation. The "Y" formation is a pretty simple concept as you can see in the pic.

I have been told that the "Y" formation as well as a sub equal leaf are two indicator's that the brug may go into flower mode. The simplest way I can explain a sub equal leaf is that on each half of the leaf, where each half normally would meet the other at the base/stem, they don't meet. One half of the leaf is longer than the other side.

So I guess it is just a matter of time before my brug forms it's "Y" Other than pinching off the lower foliage, there is not a lot one can do to promote/induce flowering. They are heavy feeder's as well as heavy drinker's, and they like the sun.


My brug's are supposed to have a double purple and white flower. I am used to the notion that seeds never breed true to their parents, but I hope I am wrong. I wouldnt want another "Black Pagoda/Longicaulis" incident, where I anticipate these beautiful flowers, and then I end up with some funky, ugly green flower......lol. *Update" the green longicaulis flower has dropped off already. I think it has been 2 or 3 or three days since it opened. They don't seem to last too long. THere are many more buds on the way.