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Blue Trumpet Flower

Flower type: Biennial (Stores water in the thickened base of its stem)

This enormous flower grows up to 10.3 feet (3.1 meters) tall. Its brown stem is thick, and the tiny, olive and black leaves are circular with wavy edges. Many leaves grow at the base of the stem, and more leaves grow in pairs along the length of the stem.

Each stem splits 5 to 7 times; a single large flower grows at the end of each split. The flowers are 117 cm (46.1 inches) wide, with solid blue petals decorated with sky blue lines and a lime central disk. The flower head is shaped like a trumpet made up of 12 widely spaced, narrow petals. They are hardy.

It has a delicate scent that smells like cinnamon, and it has lots of pollen, but it does not cause any allergic reactions. It is pollinated by the wind.

All parts of the shrub are edible.
It is difficult to kill and will quickly regrow if it falls or if its limbs are knocked off.
It is suitable for use as a construction material