Are angel's trumpets the same as datura and are they dangerous to animals?

Angel's trumpets is the common name,for Datura, now renamed to Brugmansia sanguinea.

It is a very poisonous plant, but providing the sap or leaves are not ingested into the body they should cause no serious problems.

I have a datura (brugmansia) growing in a 250mm (10") terracotta pot and the leaves are continually turning yellow and falling off, what can be causing this?

It is natural for datura leaves to turn yellow and fall from the base upwards.

However, this also a symptom of red spider mite activity.

These mites are very tiny and can only just be seen with the naked eye.

They cause a white mottling on the leaves and in a bad attack fine webs are formed.

If you find any signs of the pest spray the plant with a suitable insecticide regularly.

I have a Datura ( brugmansia ) planted in the open ground, how do I protect it in winter?

Daturas are not frost hardy.

Lift the plant, and place in a large pot then store it in a frost-free place through out winter.

If kept indoors put them in an unheated room.

Give them very little water until new growth begins again in Spring.

I have a datura plant in a container, it grew and flowered well this year.

The plant has a single stem and is approximately 1.00m high (39”),

When should I cut it back?

Keep your datura (angel's trumpet) in a frost-free greenhouse in the winter, watering it sparingly.

To induce side branches, cut back the stem to about half its length in spring.

The plant will require repotting at the same time. This is done by either moving it into a larger container or by shaking out some of the old compost and replacing it with fresh potting compost

Feed the plant weekly throughout the summer with a high potash liquid feed.