How to Grow Golden Rain Trees

The Golden Rain Tree is also known as the Chinese Lantern Tree because of its papery seed pods.

A good seed pod has four fully developed seeds.

It's best to harvest seeds in the spring as it starts to warm up. Seeds need "cold stratification" before they can successfully be sown or they won't sprout.

 I collected seeds in March from a tree next to a parking lot.

Make sure your container has holes in the bottom. (More on that in a moment.)

Put a few seeds on top. That way you are sure that at least a couple of seeds will sprout.

Put a 1/4 inch of soil on top of the seeds or push them in to that depth.

Add water until the container is evenly most from top to bottom.

Leave your seeds in a warm sunny spot for 30-60 days, until they sprout. Keep the soil moist. Then remove seedlings so you only have one tree per container.

Once your tree is established in its container you can plant it in Autumn. Find a spot that will get water; 6-8 hours of sunlight.

Enjoy your Golden Rain Tree and think:
This is a Happy Chinese Lantern New Year! 

Best wishes, Joe Feral