A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Plants and Flowers Forum Shrubs and Trees Scarification

...to grow more Poincianas. They are an inch long and are gray brown in color. Because the seed covering is very hard, it takes a long time for the seed to get started. A method that I have used is to carefully look at the seed to locate the embryo end - look for a small spot at the tip - the seed scar. Using a pair of pliers, carefully break off the smallest possible piece of the OPPOSITE end. This helps the seeds to absorb moisture and start germination.

Royal Poinciana

Seeds resemble large beans. Plant them in any good soil; they pop up in a week or less. Their chief requirement is water; if you forget this, the leaves will fall all over the place. These plants have the intriguing habit of folding their leaves toward evening.