Firebush seeds

Gina_Rose Hollywood, FL(Zone 10b) Aug 21, 2006

I went to the UK seed site, as well as trying to search the forums here (which isn't working for me for some reason), but haven't found the info on firebush seeds I was looking for. I don't know which type of firebush I have: it grows to small-tree size here, and has reddish foliage, and it has berries; my question is that aren't the berries the actual seeds for this?
And would you pick them when they turned brown/dead-stemmed, or when the berries are ripe (black-red), which I read is what you do for fruits... ?
I'd be happy to mail the seeds if anyone is interested in testing them, as well!

~Gina

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dmj1218 west Houston, TX(Zone 9a) Aug 21, 2006

Are you talking hamalia patens?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1844/index.html

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budgielover Pinellas Park, FL(Zone 9b) Aug 21, 2006

I have pick the berries and cleaned the seeds from mine but have never tried to germinate them. It's easier and faster for me to do cuttings.

Post #2643582

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Gina_Rose Hollywood, FL(Zone 10b) Aug 21, 2006

Yes dmj1218, that's the one :) If I had looked at ALL the photos earlier, I would've seen the more reddish leaves.
Budgielover, I definitely wasn't looking for more firebush for myself! I'd just like to give back to all the great people who trade seeds, in case there might be interest.

Post #2643858

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dmj1218 west Houston, TX(Zone 9a) Aug 21, 2006

I've only had luck with rooting them. Never seen any seedlings from seeds in 10 years of growing the plant. I know the nursery trade only propagates them vegetatively. They are widespread and cheap to buy--at least in TX.

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Gina_Rose Hollywood, FL(Zone 10b) Aug 22, 2006

I've come across a few volunteer plants... in fact, this year when I started to seriously garden, I came across a 5' firebush plant in my backyard behind some hedges. There was another plant that I'm positive would've been a firebush too, except my father pulled it out.

They are relatively cheap, and very common to find (at least in the south, for me, too).
I posted to also see if there was any interest in them in the seed world, otherwise I'm happy to leave them to the bees, wasps, and those strange orange banana-shaped bugs!
~Gina