How to Germinate Lion Tail Flowers

Fill a 3-inch-deep seed starting tray with a mixture of 4 parts loam and 1 part fine sand. Use sterile, mildly acidic loam and washed sand in the mixture.

Scatter the lion tail seeds across the surface of the soil mixture. Lightly pat the seeds to anchor them to the soil. Do not cover the lion tail seeds since they require light to germinate.

Spray the mixture down using a garden hose with a mist nozzle attachment to settle the seeds. Secure plastic wrap over the top of the seed-starting tray to hold in moisture and warmth as the seeds germinate.

Set the seed-starting tray beneath a set of grow lamps. Position the lamps so the bulbs are between 12 inches and 15 inches above the seed-starting tray. Keep the grow lamps on for seven to nine hours each day.

Apply bottom-heat to the seed-starting tray during the day if the weather is cool. Use a heat mat set to 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Turn the heat mat on during the same hours as the grow lamps. Turn it off at night.

Remove the plastic wrap every three days and water the lion tail seeds, if necessary. Water only if the surface of the soil mixture feels completely dry.

Watch for germination in seven to 14 days. Remove the plastic wrap once the seedlings emerge. Thin out the lion tail seedlings to one every 3 inches once they reach 1 inch in height.

Transplant the lion tail seedlings into 4-inch pots filled with loam once they grow to 3 inches in height. Move the individually potted seedlings outdoors after the last frost. Plant the lion tails in a sunny bed once soil temperatures reach 68 degrees Fahrenheit.