What causes an osmanthus tree to not bloom?
The osmanthus tree has a graceful posture, jade-green branches and leaves, stays evergreen through all four seasons, has relatively slender branches, and gives off a pleasant fragrance. 3 to 5 flowers grow in the leaf axils, with an extremely strong fragrance, and a large cluster forms an umbrella shape, extremely aromatic. Seeing such beautiful osmanthus, you cannot help but want to pick one, but some osmanthus trees never show any sign of flowers no matter how you look. Let's take a look below at why osmanthus trees do not bloom!
When does the osmanthus tree bloom?
Common cultivated varieties of osmanthus include Dan Gui (orange osmanthus), Jin Gui (golden osmanthus), Yin Gui (silver osmanthus), and Si Ji Gui (four-season osmanthus). Different varieties bloom at different times, and the colors of their flowers are also different. Jin Gui blooms from September to October, and its color is usually golden yellow. Yin Gui blooms from September to October, and its color is white or yellowish white. Dan Gui blooms in October, and its color is mostly orange-red or orange-yellow. Si Ji Gui blooms in all four seasons, with a small number of flowers every month, and its color is white.
Why does the osmanthus tree not bloom?
1. Improper seedling selection: There is a type of purple osmanthus that can only bloom after it has grown into a tree. If purple osmanthus is mistakenly propagated as cuttings or seedling stock, it will be very difficult for it to bloom. Osmanthus seedlings should be grafted seedlings using mature branches of a good variety as the scion, or seedlings obtained by air layering from flowering branches or even the base. Not only is the quality good, but after surviving they easily bloom. This point is very important. Only when good osmanthus seedlings are selected will cultivation be more convenient, and there will be no need to worry about why the osmanthus tree does not bloom.
2. Improper cultivation: The osmanthus tree likes sandy soil best, and in soil with relatively high alkalinity it often blooms very little. If the roots are damaged or frozen during transplanting, the growth vigor will necessarily be weakened, and it will not be able to bloom within 3 to 5 years. The osmanthus tree likes light and fears warmth, and long-term insufficient light may prevent it from blooming. Soil that is too wet and causes root rot, or long-term high temperature and dryness, can also affect flower bud differentiation. This is also a point that cannot be ignored among the reasons why the osmanthus tree does not bloom.
3. Nutrient imbalance: The osmanthus tree is a fertilizer-loving plant, but fertilizer is not always better in greater amounts. Every plant has a proportion of fertilizer components such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that must be balanced according to its needs. With too much nitrogen fertilizer, the branches and leaves flourish, the branches and leaves grow excessively, and it simply does not bloom. With too little, the leaves yellow and the branches become thin, which affects the absorption of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and it also does not bloom. Therefore, as much as possible do not use chemical fertilizers, and use more farmyard manure. The osmanthus tree especially likes pig manure fertilizer. As the proverb says, “If you want osmanthus to be fragrant, smash the pig manure vat.”
4. Caused by disease: The osmanthus tree fears chlorine gas and cannot tolerate oil fumes. When there is a lot of oil fumes, growth is poor, the leaves become smaller and fall off, and it cannot bloom. The osmanthus tree is also easily harmed by pests and diseases such as anthracnose and scale insects. If not treated in time, this likewise affects blooming. In addition, mistakenly pruning spring shoots will affect blooming in that year. Too many blooming osmanthus branches will weaken growth vigor and affect blooming afterward.
How can the osmanthus bloom more?
1. Choose good potting soil: Osmanthus likes slightly acidic soil. For pot cultivation, you can use a mixture of 5 parts mountain soil, 3 parts humus soil, and 2 parts sandy soil, or use half leaf mold and half sandy loam as the growing medium. If the soil is too acidic, growth will be slow and the leaves will wither and yellow. If alkaline soil is used, after 2 to 3 months the leaves can wither and the plant may even die.
2. Water at the right time: For watering osmanthus, master “two less, one more”: water less before new shoots appear, water less on cloudy and rainy days, and water more during dry weather in summer and autumn. Usually, watering should keep the potting soil at about 50% water content. On cloudy and rainy days, drain promptly to prevent water accumulation in the pot from causing root rot, otherwise it is easy to “drown.”
3. Apply topdressing skillfully: Osmanthus likes pig manure. There is a saying among flower growers: “To get osmanthus fragrance, prepare more pig manure vats.” If, after the osmanthus is brought outdoors in early spring, you apply decomposed dilute pig manure liquid, about once every 10 to 15 days from April to May, once every 7 to 10 days from June to July, and apply it one last time in early August, then the osmanthus will grow luxuriantly, bloom abundantly, and smell fragrant. If there is no pig manure in the city, decomposed cake fertilizer liquid can be used. If fertilization is insufficient, there will be few branches, few flowers, and no fragrance.
4. Prune appropriately: The osmanthus root system is well developed and its sprouting ability is strong. An adult osmanthus tree sends out new shoots twice each year. Therefore, to make the osmanthus bloom abundantly and grow lush leaves, it needs appropriate pruning to maintain the physiological balance between reproductive growth and vegetative growth. Generally, excessive water sprouts, thin and weak branches, and diseased and pest-damaged branches should be cut off to facilitate ventilation and light penetration, concentrate nutrients, and encourage the osmanthus to develop more and fuller flower buds, so that it blooms profusely.