You can germinate at any time, although here in central Florida spring and summer is the best time to get some growth in before winter. Seed germinates the fastest when fresh. They tend to sit and not grow much during cool weather. Maximum growth occurs during warm and humid seasons.

I planted mine here in Fort Lauderdale (9b, if I'm not mistaken) about just less than 2 years ago. I forgot to individuate the best seedlings and now it's a jungle...

Anyway, I finally got flowers about a month ago and I've been anxiously awaiting fruit growth. Today I went out and to my surprise, I saw my first several fruit (the largest being ping pong ball sized).

To my second surprise,they don't grow from the stem immediately below the flower, but rather from the ball shaped thing on the stamen (I did not know that!). To date (almost 4 years) I cannot get my P. Incarnata to fruit, but I'm sure I'll enjoy the P. edulis much better anyway, as the name suggests...

I'm just surprised (third surprise, ha!) that NOW as we approach our "winter" this tropical fruit vine is finally fruiting...does anyone thing that will affect the maturation of the fruit, keeping in mind that it also tends to get dry this time of year?