This plant grows on a south west facing fence on a strong trellis between a Clematis and a Chilean Potato Vine. The leaves appear to have no disease or funny colouring, although some leaves are turning bright red ( is this normal in Autumn ?). The problem is that it refuses to flower. My soil is fertile clay-based, and more or less neutral ph. I have only been in this house for 3 years and the ground was uncultivated for several years before my arrival. Everything in the garden grows strongly ( sometimes too strongly - most plants seem to grow up to 20% taller than at my previous property - and my main activities seem to be pruning, cutting back and thinning out over-lush growth). The only pruning out I have done with this particular plant is the removal of a few thin straggly side sheets near the base - just to keep it in a nice columnar shape. I would like to persuade it to flower, but if I can't I will leave it in anyway - the foliage alone is attractive enough for it to earn it's keep. Has anyone any experience of dealing with a reluctant flowerer? I just cannot think why an apparently healthy specimen is not performing. Many thanks in advance. Malcolm
Not enough heat, they rarely bloom in Texas until it hits the upper 80's(30C) day and 70+( 23c)at night. They are exceptionally drought tolerant as well so no hose pipe or fert's. Trachelospermum asiaticum which looks similar rarely blooms at all.
I'm thinking yours may be T. asiaticum as T. jasminioides blooms in Seattle, these days it is rather common on properties there.
Thanks both. It was actually in flower when I purchased it from the nursery, but of course it may have been forced. It is actually sold widely here in the UK, so I guess it should flower. In any case we have had a really hot summer ( after an especially cold Spring ) this year. In Summers like this "warm weather plants" do quite well provided that they are not put out until late-ish and are brought indoors before it gets too cold. I have succesfully grown Canary Island and Madeira plants - and I currently have a very healthy Jacaranda mimosifolia ( albeit in a pot to be protected indoors over winter ), a date palm and Aptenia cordifolia among others. Conversely "border-line" hardy plants tend to die in winter where I am. Usually however those plants which survive the winter thrive in the growing season - the Tracholospermum is the only significant exception. I thought I might have a soil or aspect problem. I guess the only answer is to wait and see what happens next year. Perhaps the cold sring killed off the buds? Thanks again for your help. Malcolm
They flower continually here, so losing the first flush of blossoms should have no follow on consequences. I still think it's lack of heat. Greenhouse produced plants frequently fail in the garden when it's not as warm as they like. An interesting tidbit: Oleander which can survive sub-zero Fahrenheit (-18C) temps here in Texas have died in Britain at -4C. Lack of heat is usually blamed.
Thanks again. Perhaps I should try a plant grown by a specialist grower who has a more vested interest in it's success rather than a mass-produced garden-centre specimen from a greenhouse in Holland ! Incidentally I would never in a million years try to grow Oleander outdoors here. Garden centres are presently touting Hibiscus as a suitable outdoor plant . On the South Coast possibly, but in the centre of England I am doubtful - too far from the influence of the gulf stream. In general I think the difference between Texas and the UK is that our cold winters are wet. Some of the borderline hardy plants that fail here I suspect do so from a combination of cold and wet. Last winter I lost both my Gaura lindheimeri ( different cultivars ) and the winter was slightly milder but much wetter than the previous one where they both survived. It is a truism that plants don't read the same gardening books as their gardeners ! Malcolm
Depends on which hibiscus you are seeing. Herbaceous H. moscheutos and deciduous H. syriacus are prevalent in commerce and hardy - unlike evergreen, tropical H. rosa-sinensis. That would not be expected to persist expect perhaps someplace like the Scilly Isles. And if the Gulf Stream is becoming diverted eventually even that part of Britain will no longer be as mild.
Most people think Texas is dry ... http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/soilorders/i/Vert_10b.jpg <-Texas Winter aspect in a cow pasture. And it certainly can be, but this illustrates one extreme. Part of my yard remained submerged for at least month in the Winter of 1996, no Oleanders died unless they were actually submerged! The central Texas' clay vertisols are one reason many plants won't grow here.
