Articles

How Do I Germinate Guayacan Seeds?

“I have tried unsuccessfully to germinate seeds “Lignum Vitae”. I have asked the grower what to do and followed their guidance…..any suggestions?” Question from Eddie of Chula Vista, California

Dear Eddie,

The Caribbean tree-of-life or guayacan (Guaiacum officinale (syn. Lignum vitae), Zones 10-12) is rarely grown in the US. In my experience plants of tropical origin with large seeds have a short life and germinate quickly where native. Getting fresh seed of Guaiacum officinale just off of the plant will likely be a challenge because it is hard to find. If you do find fresh seeds, then a pre-treatment is needed to get them to germinate:

I also found another article about starting the seeds (Click here to read the article.) You can try buying the seeds once more if you can find a fresh source that can be shipped quickly. Another option is to buy a plant. There are online sources, though they are uncommon: https://rebrand.ly/Guaiacum-for-sale. I hope that this information helps.

Happy gardening,

Jessie Keith