Because of their relatively large wing, the lightweight seeds are widely disseminated by wind. Possibly because seedfall coincides with the onset of winter rains in dry leeward rangeland in Hawaii, regeneration is most prolific on these sites. Germination of fresh, unstratified seeds requires about 20 days. Germination is epigeal. Seedlings are grown in flats or containers in nurseries.
Methods vary among the countries where silkoak is grown.
As far as is known, vegetative propagation has not been practiced with the species. Where subjected to drought stress sufficiently severe to cause dieback, it forms forks and multiple leaders. This indicates that the tree is fast growing as a sapling and pole. This substance is specific to silk-oak seedlings, causing rapid chlorosis, blackening, and death of seedlings soon after they emerge and begin to grow. Consequently, the tree is nongregarious in its natural habitat.