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Poinciana and Golden Shower

Posted by Jamie_from_Perth_WA WA Aust (My Page) on
Mon, Aug 23, 04 at 9:38

I have some seeds from these plants- I think, my Gran brought them back from a trip to Geraldton. I would like to germinate them and have a go at growing them. I have no other detail on the variety except that the Poinciana is red and the Golden Shower Yellow. Are they both Poinciana or are they different plants? What is the best way to germinate these hard and woody seeds…………..scarification, hot water and then into cold, vermiculate a lunchbox and a plastic bag, ACID?????!!!!!!! The ACID method surprised me when researching the topic. Does not strike me as very natural or healthy!


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Poinciana and Golden Shower

The Golden Shower is Cassia Fistula it is the Indian Cascara plant, beautiful tree I grew them up north they have a long pod and when you take the seeds out you get this yucky stuff cascara no doubt.

I planted the seeds in a little tube didnt do anything special to the seeds, I planted them in Feb they came up in the Sept, only two survived out of four they are in the garden now.

The Poinciana seeds I have tried and tried with no success, so this year I pruned a branch from the one I have here and potted that up, it dosnt look the best either.

Maybe someone else will be able to help you with that one

MM


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RE: Poinciana and Golden Shower

The pods I have are very dry so there is no ICK inside! The seeds are roundish with and indentation and look like slightly flattened peas does this sound correct? Poinciana seeds: long and like a narrow bean sortaaa!!!!


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RE: Poinciana and Golden Shower

Jamie I will post a pic of both the seeds in the Gallery


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RE: Poinciana and Golden Shower

Poincianas (Delonix regia) don't really need any special treatment. I have them come up here in the garden on a regular basis but they get ripped out. At work there is a massive tree that has almost a carpet of seedlings below it.

I have a very large flowering Cassia fistula and it flowers just about year round with heaviest flowering during summer and autumn. Despite plenty of seed pods falling among the garden mulch I only get a few seedlings (luckily) appearing in the garden.

Andrew.


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RE: Poinciana and Golden Shower

Jamie, you will have problems with growing both of these.
The Poinciana or Flamboyant (Delonix regia) comes from the basalt soils of Madagascar which has a climate the opposite of Perth - that is a summer wet season and a pronounced dry if not drought in winter and spring June to Oct. In Qld. the dryer the winter- spring the more magnificent the flowering. We should see one of the best years this 2004 in Qld & northern NSW because of that but the aftermath of many 500mm long x 70mm x 20mm thick seedpods, is messy

They grow well but flower poorly in the wet tropics (like Jacarandas and Cassia fistulas). The equivalent climate in WA is Kununurra - in the dry tropics.

It is a legume (like vetch) with seeds that may dry out irreversibly and unless you file through the seed coat on a piece of concrete until you see the white starchy endosperm inside then it cannot imbibe water and sprout. I suggest you try some cooler wet winter climate flowering trees (Magnolias) instead; but a good way to learn is to try. Good luck.


 
 

 

 


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