Cultivating angel trumpets requires some advanced gardening experience and motivation. And when it comes to propagation, breeding from seed is the finer art. However, those who dare to experiment can achieve amazing things.
After flowering, the fertilized angel's trumpets form fruit with seed pods
The seeds of the angel's trumpet
The angel's trumpet, Brugmansia in Latin, is famous for its trumpet-shaped, artistically curved flowers. However, what can become of them after fertilization is also quite impressive. They develop into berries in the form of ovoid to elliptical capsules about 5 to 11 cm long. In some species, spindle shapes form, which can then be up to 35 cm long.
Depending on the species, the capsules contain around 100 to 300 seeds - these are also relatively stately with a size of 8 to 12 mm in length. Their appearance varies from kidney and wedge-shaped to irregular shapes. The surface is also different depending on the species, sometimes smooth, sometimes warty to corky.
Characteristics of Angel's Trumpet Fruits:
- rather large, ovoid to spindle-shaped berry capsules
- Inside 100 to 300 seeds
- Seeds mostly kidney to wedge-shaped, smooth or warty surface
harvest seeds
Knowing when to harvest angel's trumpet seeds isn't easy - the berry fruit won't spring open on its own once the seeds are mature and ready to be harvested. So you have to take a little random approach. The season for harvest is of course autumn after flowering.
Read the ripeness of the fruit
An indication of when the seeds are ready for harvest is of course the appearance and texture of the fruit. If it's still green and hard, the seeds won't be ready yet. Wait until the skin has turned brown and the fruit has softened before opening it.
Keep seed toxicity in mind!
When harvesting, don't forget that the seeds are one of the most poisonous parts of the angel's trumpet! So work with gloves if possible.
What's next?
To prepare for sowing in spring, the seeds must be dried. To do this, you can simply place them on a tray in a dry room. In the spring you can then try to grow them at 20°C in pots with potting soil and under foil - and possibly get completely new, differently colored flowering varieties!