No Bloom on my Bottlebrush

[Paul Welch]

Since putting in my Bottlebrush last April I've had it break out a couple of times with some sparse blooms. But the sign that came with it said year-around-bloomer. Am I doing something wrong?

It is getting full sun (10 hours a day). I fertilize every 2 weeks with Peter's or MiracleGro. I have heavy bottom growth which I am considering cutting back. It gets more than enough water from my sprinklers and the guy next doors. (Too much?) I'm about 10 houses east of the ocean. (Too much salt?)

Please feel free to give me any advice on how to make this tree bloom.

Thanks Paul

[David Hill]

"........I fertilize every 2 weeks with Peter's or MiracleGro....."

If you were feed that often you'd stop working as well.

[Vox Humana]

Tell the guy next door to stop pissing on your plants!

[David Hare-Scott]

It would help if you found the sign and gave us the exact species, I assume you have a species of callistemon but not necessarily as there are other trees/shrubs with a bottle brush type of flower. Also saying where you are and the type of soil would help. I doubt that it needs to be fed every two weeks.

David

[Sharon]

Try using Miracle Grow Bloom Booster of Peter's equivalent (I forget what it's called). They are high in phosphates which promotes more blooms rather than more greenery growth.

sharon

>

[MLEBLANCA]

My thoughts: As David said, too much fertilizer. Mine has not been given any fert. in over 20 years. "water from sprinklers"? Are these watering the lawn? If so it's probably not going deep enough. I keep mine on the dry side most of the summer, watering occasionly very deeply. You are confusing "year round " with continuous........ Here they do bloom year round, but not continuously. It is blooming right now. Then it will bloom again with the largest amount and length of bloom from sometime in Jan usually through March. Then again in June. Scattered, sporadic blooms in the heat of summer, then Sept -Oct. The growth at the bottom can trimmed off to make a tree-like form or not. I see both ways. Mine is multi trunked and trimmed up. I have Callistemon viminalis, the weeping species. I am in the Central Valley of Calif. (northern region) Last, remember, it is still young and newly planted . Give it time. Good luck and enjoy your Bottlebrush, Ido, the bees do, and the humminbirds, too.

Emilie Norcal zone 8

[Paul Welch]

David,

It is a Scarlet Bottlebrush, Callistemonn citrinus. I am in Ormond Beach, FL, just north of Daytona Beach.(Zone 9a) The soil is sandy.

Paul

David Hare-Scott wrote:

[David Hare-Scott]

Paul

My references say it flowers mainly in spring and may have another show late summer to early autumn. Your conditions sound OK and apparently it will stand some salt. Maybe the advertising was too optimistic saying it would flower all year round.

One suggestion is after flowering to prune back to just behind the spent flowers in order to encourage new growth and more flowering.

David