A naked seed pod

The skin on some Brugmansia seed pods can be as tough as leather, allowing a ripe pod to hang on the plant for weeks and weeks after it has dried.  For others, the skin disintegrates in a matter of days.  Within a couple of weeks after ripening the pod may look like the one pictured below.

I caught this pod just in time.  When I held it to snip it off the plant, it completely fell apart leaving me clutching a handful of Angel Trumpet seeds.  Fortunately the weather had been calm for the week prior, preventing a strong gust of wind from dispersing the seeds to the ground.  Because pods ripen in just a couple of days when they reach maturity, I try to harvest the ripened pods every couple of days.

If you are new to growing Brugmansia this photo will help you understand how the seeds are arranged in a pod.