Mahogany Seed Propagation – How To Plant Mahogany Seeds

mahogany seed
mahogany seed
(Image credit: suriyasilsaksom)

Mahogany trees (Swietenia mahagoni) may make you think of the Amazon forests, and rightly so. Large-leaf mahogany grows in southern and western Amazonia, as well as along the Atlantic in Central America. Small-leaf mahogany also grows in Florida. If you live in a warm climate and are interested in growing this tree, you can consider mahogany seed propagation. Read on for information about growing mahogany from seed, including tips on how to plant mahogany seeds.

Mahogany Seed Propagation

Mahogany is a beautiful tree, tall with large buttresses on the trunks and broad crowns of shining leaves. It is, unfortunately, disappearing in its native ranges, a victim of its own value. Mahogany wood is said to be valued at four times the price of any other wood. If you would like to help increase the number of mahogany tree seedlings on the planet, or just have a hankering for a homegrown tree in your backyard, consider mahogany seed propagation. You can start growing mahogany from seed without too much trouble.

Propagating Mahogany Seeds

In order to start propagating mahogany seeds, your first step is acquiring some seeds. The seeds grow in woody brown capsules that can grow to 7 inches (18 cm.) long. Look on and under the trees in your neighborhood in January through March. Once you have collected a few seed pods, dry them for a few days on newspapers. When they crack open, shake out the little brown seeds from inside. Let these dry a few more days then get ready to start growing mahogany tree seedlings.

Growing Mahogany Tree Seedlings

How to plant mahogany seeds? Put sandy soil in small pots and moisten it thoroughly. Then press a seed lightly into each pot. If you are hoping for mahogany tree seedlings, you’ll want to keep the soil moist while you are propagating mahogany seeds. Cover each pot with plastic wrap and water them when the soil dries out. Position the pots in a warm spot with some indirect light. You may see the seeds germinating in a few weeks. At that point, remove the plastic and gradually expose the little mahogany tree seedlings to more and more sun. Transplant when they are some 8 inches (20 cm.) tall.

Teo Spengler
Writer

Teo Spengler has been gardening for 30 years. She is a docent at the San Francisco Botanical Garden. Her passion is trees, 250 of which she has planted on her land in France.