How to Germinate a Mimosa Hostilis

Scratch the outer hull of each Mimosa hostilis seed with a nail file. Rub the seed until the nail file wears a shallow dent into the hull. Don't completely penetrate the hull, since that will render the seed inviable.

Soak the Mimosa hostilis seeds in a bowl filled with hot, 140 F water for two hours. Drain the seeds on a dish towel before sowing them. Prepare planting containers while the seeds drain.

Fill 3-inch square pots with rich, sterile potting soil. Leave a half-inch gap between the surface of the soil and the lip of the pot.

Place one Mimosa hostilis seed on the surface of the soil in each pot. Press the seeds into the soil until they're halfway buried. Cover the seeds with a layer of medium-grit sand.

Drizzle water into each pot until it drains out of the drainage holes in the bottom. Let the top one-quarter inch of soil dry out before watering the Mimosa hostilis seeds again.

Place the pots on a propagation mat beneath a large, south-facing window. Set the temperature on the propagation mat to 75 F. Readjust the temperature to 65 F at night.

Place a plastic sandwich bag over the top of each pot to help hold in moisture and warmth. Remove the plastic sandwich bags for 20 to 30 minutes whenever condensation collects on the interior.

Watch for germination one week after sowing the Mimosa hostilis seeds. Remove the plastic sandwich bags as soon as the seeds germinate.

Keep the Mimosa hostilis seedlings under warm, bright conditions until they grow to 3 inches in height, then transplant them into permanent pots or a sunny bed with well-draining soil.