I couldn't find much on it, but the site below said it is "straighforward", which I take to assume the normal methods. Well-drained sterile mix, maybe some heat.

Do you have the seeds? Bourgainvilleas rarely set seed (usually only in the Malaysia area, & often not there), & the seed of most hybrids is though to be sterile, although it is not known for sure.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Bougainvillea site

Well I don't have them yet but there are coming mail from a garden web member.I hope i can grow them. I have been wanting one for years now.

If you know anyone around you who has one, you might ask if you could take a few cuttings. That's the usual way to increase stock, and more reliable.

Sue

I live in deep South Texas, 7 miles from the Mexican Border. Point is I have never seen or heard of a bougainvillea setting seed down here. We have neo-tropical weather and they grow everywhere and in any color or variety your heart desires. With that said, down here they are only reproduced by cuttings. I would be very interested in finding out more regarding seed setting of this plants. bouganvillas and hibiscus are so common here that almost every home has one or the other or both, mainly both.

Ok i recieved the seeds, does anyone know how I should plant them?
I only have 10 so I don't wanna screw it up.First of all do they transplant well? I am thinking of starting them in egg cartons.
I am thinking of trying a few things.
1. putting some in the baggie method in a warm location(on top of fridge).
2. Start some in regular potting soil.
3. Start some in Tropical soil.
Any suggestions would be great.

I may have already answered you but the baggie method does not work. I have tried the baggie method with a paper towel & various media. Bougainvillea sets seed after it flowers. The flower is not impressive but the bract is. If you are in a warm zone it should be setting seed  I have seen well establish bushes set seed all the time.

So what did work for you whan you planted them??
I have no plants yet.I want togrow the seeds.

DON'T USE EGG CARTONS! They don't hold enough soil to keep reliably it moist.

If you have a heat source, I would plant them in something shaped like an 8" square cake pan, filled nearly to the top with sterile planting medium (maybe half peat + half sand (or perlite). Make sure there is GOOD drainage!!! Water from the bottom by setting in a larger pan of warmish water until the entire contents is wet, then let drain well, cover with a single piece of plastic wrap (just set on top, or wrap only loosely if at all), & set on your heat mat.

AND keep your fingers crossed.

What color are the seeds?

Sue

Ok, Quite freaking me out!!!
I am guessing by your response you have grown them before.
Seeing as I only have 10 seeds i will only get 1 or 2 to grow.
They are Brown in color.
AND i have no way to give them bottom heat. Do the need to be put under lights. I have a lamp I have been using to keep the soil warm on the plants that need heat. Plus i have the florescent lights that don't throw much heat.

So should I put it in the pan with water then remove it,when i see the top getting wet, to a pan with no water?
As for the soil I have cactus, tropical, and regular. Of these three which would you use?

I will cross my fingers, toes and my legs to get these to grow.

Sorry (she mumbles)...

If the tropical mix drains well, use that.

Since you have that light you use for heat, use that, too, but keep it far enough away so it isn't too hot.

Just set the planted pan in another pan until all the soil is wet, then drain. Don't let the seeds do laps... You can put the planted pan in another pan afterward if you want to keep it from dripping.

On the color, brown is okay. I've traded for seeds that were white, and I knew they hadn't ripened enough to germinate. We'll hope yours are good.

No, I haven't grown them. I lived in So. Calif for many years and loved them, but never saw any set seed.

Good luck!

Sue

Hi mastiff.

Sorry I did not answer you sooner. I have tried to germinate them in peat, perlite, & the paper towel with the baggie method without success. My next attempt is to germinate them in a pot with sand.
As you can see, there is not much information about germinating these seeds. They seed in the late summer in Southern CA. Seeds are tedious to remove from the pod, & there is one seed per pod. Perhaps that is why most people (other than seed growers) do not mess with them.

I never did bougainvillea seed but I were to I would sort them out and save some and try to start some others.

When I did propagation experiments for my amusement I did two extremes if I bumped into a difficulty. In one container I would put pure sharp sand and in another I would use a good African violet potting soil.

Were I attempting bougainvillea seed I think I would try the sand and soil experiments side by side.

Please keep in mind that most of the bougainvilleas we see in the U.S. are hybrids, and they aren't know to set viable seed. The bougainvillea site I posted said they THINK that most/all are sterile, but aren't sure. So, if you're having problems, it may not be your starting method(s).

OTOH, if you succeed, we all certainly want to hear about it! But please start a new post, don't just add to this one. WE WANT BANNER HEADLINES!

Sue

Well i thank you all for your help.
I am off to experiment. I will let you know how it turns out.

If the seeds fail, and you can't clippings locally, directgardening.com has the plants really cheap. I just received mine 2 weeks ago and they have a lot of new growth.

Here is a picture of the bougainvillea flower

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/baci/BeauFlr.jpg[/IMG]

Here are pics of the seed pod:

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y16/baci/BeauSeed.jpg[/IMG]

Here is a picture of the bougainvillea flower

{{gwi:232678}}

Here are pics of the seed pod:

{{gwi:232679}}

Wow
I did recieve the seeds, I have planted them and am still waiting for sprouts.
I wonder how long they take to come up??
LEEleelee... i would have given you a few but i only recieved 10 and planted 5 in each experiment.

I GOT ONE!!!!
One seed has sprouted but there is no sign of any others coming up.
Should I take the plastic off since one is up?
It is planted in cactus soil.(Just incase anyone is wondering)

Keep your fingers crossed that it keeps growing!

I think I read that it can take 30 days or so, and they might just germinate sporatically.

I would angle the cover so the sprout isn't covered but the rest of the pan is.

Do you know where the seed came from originally? Just curious.

Sue

I have no idea were they came from. I recieved them from a Garden Web member who recieved them from someone else.

I HAVE THREE!!!!
Sorry to keep posting but everytime one comes up i get giddy.
One came up in the tropical soil and two are up in Cactus soil.
The first to come up has its true leaves. Four leaves now so I am guesing the first two are not true althought they look like the second set.

Just a footnote to this post. The bougainvillea are again setting seed. I planted the purple & it sprouted within a couple of weeks. I just put mine in dirt & it sprouted. No special soil.
The pods, when mature, turn brown. For some reason, the purple one is setting seed first  I have seen them seed in various places throughout So CA. I have also seen one burgundy one seeding but I have not sprouted it yet due to the heat. The variegated ones I have seen are still flowering.
Sometimes web site seed germination material is not based on personal germination experience, but rather research. I have no idea how these seeds will turn out, but given the beauty of the plant, I am sure they will have some use. I have not found bougainvillea easy to propagate by cutting, either.

I posted on this thread before regarding the bogams and went around checking plants with neighbors and family and no one has ever gotten seedlings or even knew they set seed. my mother has white, deep purple , lavander, pink, fuschia, orange and red and still no seeds. I will continue to keep an eye on mom's plants.

Florazone, look for dried bracts:

{{gwi:232680}}

Inside the bract are 3 pods  each pod has 1 seed.
Here is a dried bract from a pink/peach bouganavilia:

{{gwi:232681}}

Note the pink coloration. The dried up purple or burgundy bract is one color. Also note the pods on the right are narrow & probably have no seed or a poor seed. Seeds should be plump.

The seed is inside the pod:

{{gwi:232682}}

These seeds are older seeds from last year. When I take apart an older seed, the hairs that hold the seed stick to it. A newer seed will release the seed a bit easier.

well thats cool, thanks for the very easy to see pics.
My plants are still small and have no coloured bracts yet.
maybe next year.

Sometimes I forget to shrink my pics more, but it seems to work for seeds. I forgot to say the seeds were on mature plants  about 6 ft & trimmed.
I saw your pictures, Mastiff  your plants look nice. They seem to do better in the ground, but you canÂt always do that.
I do not know when plants started from seed develop colored bracts, & my guess is no one else does either. I guess we shall see.

Iluvbonsai, a couple of us have had success with starting Bougainvillea from seed. They can damp off, as you were concerned about, but they can also grow. Here are the threads:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/seed/msg0623390313751.html

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/seed/msg0407595130694.html?27

Hi, you all! I have never posted here, but I collect bougainvilleas. They grow like weeds here, in Guam, and I love the different colors, bicolor, and just plain beautiful hues.
I have to replace many of them that the last typhoon killed, I mean just took away, roots and all, well, with winds of over 200 MPH is a wonder that I kept the rest.
I have some that, sporadically, I see small shoots coming around the main plant, but, since I never knew that they could bear seeds, I never paid much attention to them, and since the gardener does the weeding, there they went... I could smack myself in the 'back' GRRRR.
Thank you all for enlighten me, I do a lot of lurking and this thread just caught my attention with the seeds, and I said: yeah, right.... however, tomorrow, I'll check mine to see if I have some.
With so many in bloom right now, I could pick up bags of dried bracts.
Here's a pic of one of mine. I had 5 on that side of the house, now I have only 2 left, but this one blooms year round.(The blue in the background is the ocean)
Ana :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Lavander Bougainvillea

Ladybug Guam: Really neat looking plant and location. Good luck.

i need hlp i dont know how to seed it or even know what it look like please help and any tip to grow or stem cutting with out using rooting hormone.

hi folks i was wondering if anyone would like to share some bougainvillea seeds, i've seen the bougainvillea and there just goergous.

[bump] and another link: Bougainvillea