Caesalpinia pulcherrima var. pink, commonly known as Pink Peacock Flower or Pink Bird of Paradise, is a rare pink-flowering variety of this tropical shrub. The pink variety displays delicate pink blossoms with characteristic long red stamens, making it an elegant ornamental plant for warm climates. Seed germination can be variable even under optimal conditions, requiring scarification and warm temperatures to overcome the hard seed coat dormancy.
Before sowing
Germination may be improved by soaking scarified seeds in saltpetre solution (1 teaspoon to a litre of water). Seeds have a hard, impermeable seed coat requiring scarification to enhance water absorption.
Sowing
What to expect
Tips
Scarify seeds mechanically by gently rubbing with sandpaper or nicking with a knife to enhance germination rates. Use fresh seed if possible, as newly harvested seeds achieve higher germination percentages (up to 98%) compared to stored seed. Maintain warm temperatures between 25-27°C (77-81°F) for optimal germination. Seeds are neutral photoblastic and will germinate in both light and darkness. Keep substrate consistently moist but not waterlogged. Germination may be rapid (2-4 days) or prolonged (up to 8 weeks), so patience is essential. Once seedlings emerge, provide ample bright light and gradually acclimate them to outdoor conditions. Use peat moss-perlite blend or well-draining commercial seed starting mix. Lightly press seeds into the substrate after sowing.
Sources: Plant Flower Seeds (plantflowerseeds.com), Sela Seeds, ResearchGate scientific studies (Ferro et al. 2019), Sheffield's Seed Company, Dave's Garden community data, Missouri Botanical Garden, Wikipedia, Kew Gardens
