I didn't realize they got that large here. I have one in a pot i bring in during the winter and had been thinking of planting in the yard.

I would let the seed pods turn brown.

I had some beautiful seedlings that rotted and died a few months ago when we had all that rain.
I let them turn brown in a dry cool place and then winter sowed them.
Annie

I have collected pods and seeds of various plants when they were still green. It is worth the try if you have only one chance. If the seeds are close to maturity, some should germinate. Some relatives of pride of Barbados germinate at a higher percentage when picked before they turned brown and dried out.

We just moved to the MS Gulf Coast from Georgetown in central Texas - zone 8a. Several neighbors had POBs in the ground that died back but survived the winters there. I think they're beautiful and would love to get one here.

The first time I saw the bloom was a photo from a lady in Wimberly in central Texas. She has it in her butterfly garden. You can view her beautiful photo at www.pbase.com/image/32570391. It is worth the effort.
If it grows there, surely it must grow here in zone 9 in Louisiana. I am going to plant the seeds in the spring.

I believe these are also called Flamboyant plants, see "PARADISE FOUND" by Norman Winter pg. 27. I see these in the wild, I live in Vancleave,MS, around here mostly close to ditched. I don't know if they like moisture or just trying to evade the bush hog. I can get a ton of seed if any one would like some. I found that the seeds are hard to sprout and I noticed in Norman's book that he agreed and sugges the seeds be abraded. If I remember right the seeds are fairly small and would be a pain to abrade with sand paper. Any suggestions on that process?
Thanks,
Lynn

They may need to go though cool stage to sprout some do like cannas.Maybe 2 or 3 weeks in the ice box but I am not sure just a thought I would like to have some too.Good luck JIM

I hope to go into the city next week and I will knock on the door and ask the owner if I can have some of the seed pods. If I climb that fence again I might just break my neck--can't push my luck. And, I will share my seeds with those of you who want some.

Coleen

If the pods are mostly green, the seeds most likely will not sprout. Best to get brown pods, and scarify the seeds before planting. POB shouldn't need any cold treatment for the seeds to sprout, as they are somewhat tropical. They grow well here, but do freeze down nearly every year. Also, there are two forms, one with thorns and one with soft bristles. The thorny form is less cold hardy and will freeze to the ground at 30F. The bristly form will tolerate a few more degrees of frost, and is the commonly grown form here in TX. Great plant!!

We live in Dallas and bought a small plant 2 years ago in Austin. It did fine but that summer here didn't get all that hot and it only had one blossom before it turned cold. This summer it came back very well, we have 5 blossoms now and more to come. I just wish it wouldn't die back every year. I guess we could wrap it but as cold as it gets here, I doubt it would even survive that.

We have 2 in Lubbock and they do die back, but have always come back strong in the Spring. We would like to start some from seed, but could someone explain "scarify the seeds" to me?

I checked out the photo. It is gorgeous! I would love some seed, but short of that, does anyone know the Latin name?

Caesalpinia Pulcherrima is the Latin name, aka, Dwarf Poinciana, Pride of Barbados, red bird of paradise, and so on and so on.

Steve

Thanks, Steve!