Harvest ripe seeds in late summer when the fruits begin to color up and when the seed pops out as you pinch the fruit between your thumb and forefinger. Pinch the seeds out and wash off any remaining pulp. Plant them outdoors in the fall or stratify the seeds at 40 degrees F for three to four months to overcome embryo dormancy. Place the seeds in a plastic bag containing moist sphagnum moss and put them in a refrigerator (40 degrees F). Mark the date on the bag and on your calendar before placing the bag in the refrigerator. Check the bag periodically and moisten the medium if it gets dry. If you see any sprouted seeds, remove them carefully, taking care not to break the radicle (developing root), and then pot them up. After three or four months have passed, take the bag out of the refrigerator and plant the seeds in a flat or pot containing equal parts of peat moss and perlite. Move the container to a location receiving bright, indirect sunlight. Expect the seeds to germinate in two to three weeks. After the last freeze in your area, harden off the seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Then transplant them in a well-drained site that receives morning sun and afternoon shade. It may take several years, perhaps six or seven, before these seedlings will flower.

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