I tried the following during August 2010: Obtain seeds as fresh as possible. Remove the reddish aril (aril was quite oily) completely by washing with water and gentle rubbing. File a small area of seed (black/dark brown) with an emery board. Soak in water approx. 2 hours. Mix 2 parts multipurpose compost and 1 part sharp sand. Fill clear colourless plastic pots (has layer of grit at the bottom) with compost. Water the compost and allow water to drain from the bottom of pot, Make a hole (about 1cm-cube or approx size of seed) at the edge of the compost with the pot, put seed in and cover with compost. Stretch clingfilm over the top of pots and tie with rubber band. Put pots on foil-lined tray to reflect light and in sunniest spot in the house. I watered sparingly from the base of pot after planting if the compost looked dry. After 32 days I had 1 (of 12 seeds) germinated. I found it useful to read this article (found it by google) Revista Arvore Print version ISSN 0100-6762 Rev. Arvore vol.28 no.3 Vicosa May/June 2004 doi: 10.1590/S0100-67622004000300002 "Seed germination and removal of Michelia champaca L. (Magnoliaceae) in eucalypt stands: the influence of the aril" "Germina��o e remo��o de sementes de Michelia champaca L. (Magnoliaceae) em talh�es de eucalipto: influ�ncia do arilo" by Giovano Candiani, Mauro Galetti and Victor Jose Mendes Cardoso

Germination of Michelia champaca should be quite easy. Wash the seeds thoroughly. You might want to soak it for a few hours two or three times. The seedpods and arils include germination inhibitors. Use a free-draining soil and keep the seeds warm. Most should germinate in about a month. Oh, and they absolutely need some light to germinate so don't put them in the dark and don't bury them too deep. I've never tried M. alba, but I've heard that germination is more difficult, maybe only 10%. Some people have used chemicals such as GA3 to get a better rate. Passiflora is very similar. Soak it and then keep it warm (or hot, 80F, even 90F) after you sow. Old seed won't germinate well at all. Don't know about Nyctanthes.

Hi guys!! I came on to see if there was any suggestions for trimming and legginess. I know this thread is old but I wanted to offer my experience with the henna plants. I live in Miami, Florida and have 6 mature trees that I planted about 7 years ago. They are all healthy and grow robustly. They DO in fact offer a wonderful fragrance when in bloom. The flowers emit a delicious and mesmerizing fragrance. The scent is more potent when 1) right after they receive water, whether by me or mother nature and 2) as the evening is arriving....like at sunset. I know some on here say that only the leaves offer fragrance and that may be the experience they have had with whichever strand they own. My experience is the total opposite from these comments. My home sits on a corner and the neighbors walk past my home when walking their pets just to grab a whiff from my garden. They constantly tell me that I have the "best smelling corner in the neighborhood" ;) My trees bloom year round! I do not fertilize them directly, ever. The only time they get any type of "help" is when the run off water from my other plants around them that I do fertilize, reaches them. In my experience, the less you do for them, the prettier and healthier they perform,....mine offer me full, flower packed blooms all year. My only chore with them is trimming them back so they do not become leggy. I have some in direct, full blazing sun and a few in partial sun (30% direct sun from sunrise til about 11 am) The ones in full sun are much less leggy than the others. I am certain this occurs because they are searching for the sun so the tops grow more rapidly in that direction. In the past, I have trimmed the trees and planted the cuttings directly into the soil around the existing tree. Some have taken, others have not. I also take the little pods (balls) that develop (which are packed with seeds) when they turn brown and crush between my fingers to spread the seeds around the existing plants. I do not "bury" them into the soil, I just simply let the drop on the soil bed. I have had growth from these little buddies many times. This is most definitely one of my favorite fragrant plants and they have performed wonderfully in my garden. I will add some pictures for you all to review as soon as I snap some. Hope this info helps a bit ;) Love & light to all!!

Here in the Hollywood Hills - my Alba is 4 years old now and has been in the ground for the last three years. It has grown up to about 20 feet now, and blooms year round with fragrant creamy white blooms. There are more blooms in the summer. I water it well twice weekly and fertilize it with super bloom and osmocote twice a year. I have trimmed it back twice now and it continues to get larger and LARGER. It's my favorite plant here, and just a few blooms set in a bowl of water brings me back to Bali where I discovered the incredible fragrance. Note should be taken that the blooms are so much bigger now that the tree has gotten big and is in the ground.