Hummingbird flowers and leaves contain high amounts of iron making the tree a popular wild food source in Laos, Thailand, India and the Phillipines where they grow wild and flower profusely during the rainy season. We are particularly intrigued by the use of the flowers to make a "blossom fritter" with chickpea and rice flower, nigella seeds, baking powder, sugar and salt. In addition to its culinary uses, Hummingbird tree is a leguminous tree, meaning it will fix nitrogen in the garden, however beware its potential size... when grown in the tropics it can reach up to 30 feet (size can be controlled with pruning).
Planting and growing tips: If you are worried about germination you can clip the coating of the seeds, or soak them overnight, however we achieve very high germination rates with fresh seed planted simply and germinating within 3-5 days. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep in premoistened potting mix in a small pot or seedling tray. Keep cells moist in partial shade until germination, when they can be moved to full sun exposure. These trees are fast growing and also die within 2 years, consider that when choosing where to plant them. Our trees have gotten no bigger than 8 feet around and 12 feet tall.
Planting and growing tips: If you are worried about germination you can clip the coating of the seeds, or soak them overnight, however we achieve very high germination rates with fresh seed planted simply and germinating within 3-5 days. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep in premoistened potting mix in a small pot or seedling tray. Keep cells moist in partial shade until germination, when they can be moved to full sun exposure. These trees are fast growing and also die within 2 years, consider that when choosing where to plant them. Our trees have gotten no bigger than 8 feet around and 12 feet tall.