Description
A beautiful, small, dry deciduous or semi-evergreen tree rarely more than 9 m tall with bipinnate foliage and showy racemes of golden yellow flowers. It is widespread in southern Africa and a popular ornamental, suitable for USDA Zones 10 and above, and makes a great shade tree. The finely grained wood is popular for furniture and other purposes. Seeds should be scarified or briefly immersed in boiling water to break dormancy, then soaked at room temperature for a day.
Germination Guide
🌍 Tropical and southern Africa, from Democratic Republic of Congo to South Africa
Easy
Peltophorum africanum is a fast-growing deciduous tree native to tropical and southern Africa, characterized by bright yellow flowers and feathery bipinnate leaves. The species has a hard seedcoat requiring pre-treatment for optimal germination rates.
Germination
Germination time
Expect germination in
3 – 10 days
Temperature
Min 17°C
Ideal 22°C
Max 28°C
Substrate moisture
💧 Medium
Seed Pre-treatment
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💧
Soaking — 24 hours
Soak in warm water after hot water treatment for 12-24 hours until seeds swell and imbibe moisture
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🔨
Hot water scarification
Pour nearly boiling water on seeds or briefly immerse in boiling water, soak 12-24 hours in warm water. Alternative: mechanical scarification by nicking seedcoat.
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📋
Additional notes
Hard seedcoat requires scarification to speed germination. Fresh seeds benefit most from treatment.
Substrate & Container
Recommended substrate
Well-draining loam soil, river sand and compost mixture (5:1), peat and perlite mix
Recommended container
Seedling trays, black nursery bags
Growing Tips
Germination typically occurs within 1-3 weeks. Seedlings need frost protection for first 2-3 years. Plant in bright, direct sunlight. Tree becomes drought-tolerant once established.
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