FREE: Mexican Bird Of Paradise Seeds

Info about the "Mexican Bird of Paradise" plant . . .

1. scarify with tip of a small, sharp knife to expose the embryo within. some folks use old emory boards 'cause they have lots of time on their hands, i guess.

2. soak seeds 8-12 hrs. (overnight) in room temp. water - - they will plump up a bit, especially the seeds that appeared flat before soaking.

3. sow the seed with the scarification downward, into the soil, but only put the seed into the potting soil or the dirt of your garden bed one-half to three-quarters of the way. the seeds need to have exposure to sunlight on ¼ to ½ of the surface of the seed.

germination occurs in 2 - 10 days.

if direct sowing, sow seeds 2"- 4" apart, then thin to 8"-10" apart when the second set of true leaves appears (maybe 3 weeks after the seedling rids itself of the outer shell - - DO NOT HELP by picking the shell off yourself. this can kill the seedling. Nature takes care of this quite well on its own.)

if sowing in potting soil or seed starting soil in divided flats, sow one seed per position. whether sowing in pots or direct sowing, keep the soil moist -- but not drenching wet.

remember to keep your newly sown seeds where they will get lots of sunlight. and don't let the soil dry out or get too soggy.

this is a butterfly and bee magnet. from a distance its colour appears orange due to the blending of the yellow and red blooms.

in the legume family, a pea, so it makes more fixed N than it uses, improves fertility of garden soil in its vicinity.

The most common name for this, btw, is Pride of Barbados. Its AKAs are Mexican Bird of Paradise, Red Bird of Paradise, Dwarf Poinciana, Peacock Flower, and my personal favourite - - Flamboyan-de-Jardin !!

~ £az£o

F&W {pls fan me bk} Happy Holidays ❄ Ⅰ ♡ Listia ❣bird of paradise