Sowing your own seeds is an economical way of having a beautiful flowerbed every season, without the cost of buying them. Angelonia is a native plant in Mexico and the West Indies. The leaves smell like apples and come in a variety of colors. If your plants are hybrid, they will not save as true plants. Angelonia, summer snapdragons, was a forgotten flower until breeders came along and began to make new hybrid flowers. This flower loves to grow in places where the summers are hot and humid. The Serena series is one angelonia that gardeners can start at home from seed.

Harvesting the Seeds

Wait until the flowers turn completely gray. There will be a seed casing revealed. Watch the seedpod until it turns a light tan color. The pod is small, only about ¼ inches round, so you will have to look carefully to find the seed pod.

Wait until the seeds are mature on the plant before you pick them. Usually September or October is the best time to harvest the seed. On the angelonia plant there is a difference between seed on the top of the plant and those on the bottom. The best place on the plant to save the seed heads is toward the bottom.

When the pods are dry, this is the time to pick the pelleted seed. You can do this by using sharp scissors, a knife or your fingers. Simply snap the seed head off the plant and place it into a bowl or container

Catching Seeds in a Bag

Take a plastic bag and with a twist tie, loosely secure it around the flower pod. This way, should the pod open before you pick it off the plant, your seeds will safely fall into the bag and not on the ground.


Removing the Seeds

Now comes the tricky part of getting the seeds out. Line a tray with white paper covering the bottom. This will help the seeds to be more noticeable when they come out. With a pin, pull away part of the fuzz. This will expose the seed.

Spill the seed into a strainer. The seed is small enough to go though, but everything else will catch in the strainer. By doing this step, you won't have to sort through your seed later.

Packaging

Package your seeds in a small vial or plastic bag that seals shut. Label the seed with the color of the flower, the location grown, the amount of sun they require or any other information that you may need for next years planting.
You can include a picture along with your information if you like.

Place the packet in a cool dry place to store through the winter. Next spring, you can take them out and plant them again.