Quisqualis indica (Rangoon Creeper)

Pas de problème It's not a plant I've grown. Occasionally I attack hard seed coatings with a very sharp knife (Ipomoea alba, moonflower, springs to mind) but I cut on the side and not had any casualties yet. Sandpapering never seemed to achieve much. The biggest palava was with a selection of Australian seeds, Duranta, Melaleuca and other too numerous to remember. Trying to replicate an Australian bush fire without burning the house down was fun Results: apart from the Eucalypti, a big, fat zero

 

Ah but how do you know they're doomed? Look at the Plumerias....survive under a tiled roof with a sheet of plastic between them and the worst that SW France can chuck at them!

 

Judging by what you grow SW France is a lot more hospitable than it is around here in winter, or maybe it's the longer hotter summers.
Maybe it's your more open aspect, I don't know, but you are always miles ahead of me with spring growth.

I doubt plumerias would survive around here in our 8 months of winter with just a sheet of plastic.

 

I'll let you know next spring Summer has literally just started here this year, so not a lot longer than UK.

 

@noisette47 the easiest way to convince your Australian seed that you've had a wildfire is to buy a bottle of liquid smoke for barbecues - Amazon do the Colgin brand. It seems to work because it's got the turpenes and other chemicals. I just dilute a little to make a liquid like strong tea, and leave seed in it for up to 2 days.

 

Thanks for the tip, Caroline