The USDA Forest Service says there is no tree like the Royal Poinciana, grown for ornamental purposes thanks to its thin foliage and bright red flowers. The tree is propagated via seed, but its seeds are coated in a thick shell that makes it hard for water to penetrate, thus making germination painfully slow. Gardeners can modify the seeds to help water enter the seed for quicker germination.
Collect seeds from an existing Royal Poinciana tree. Long, brown seed pods drop to the ground every fall; crack them open to discover several dozen seeds. If you harvest a pod before it's opened naturally, the USDA's National Seed Laboratory recommends drying the pod in the sun for 30 days before breaking it open.
Prepare the Royal Poinciana seed for germination. The National Seed Laboratory recommends placing the seed in 194 degree Fahrenheit water for 10 seconds, then soaking it for 24 hours in room temperature water. Alternatively, the University of Florida suggests breaking the tiniest piece possible off of the rounded end of the seed using pliers.
Fill a gallon-sized garden pot with potting soil. If you don't have commercially prepared potting soil, make your own by stirring together equal parts of garden soil, compost and sand. Straight garden soil is too heavy for successful seed germination.
Plant the seed. Bury it 1 inch below the soil surface. Water the pot twice daily or as needed to keep the soil surface moist. The seed will typically germinate within 5 to 6 weeks.