How do you care for a Bleeding Glory-Bower (Clerodendrum thomsoniae) so it blooms abundantly? Remember these care tips

Flowers & Gardening Jan 1, 1970 0 views

This flower blooms most densely around the Dragon Boat Festival each year. These plants can now be seen in many places that sell flowers on the market. It is white with red, like a dragon holding a pearl in its mouth, which is how it got this name. So what should be done while caring for it so that it produces more flowers?

1. Pruning

If you want it to grow fast, you need to prune it frequently, otherwise it will not bloom. Its blooming period lasts a long time. If you care for it properly, it can even bloom all year round. After its flowers fade, remove these spent flowers, and then no further pruning is needed. Give it plenty of water and fertilizer, and it will continue to produce flowers.

2. Water

During its growing period, give it enough water. The pot and soil should stay moist. When the flowers are open, do not sprinkle too much water on it, and when watering, do not splash water onto the flowers. In winter it pauses its growth and enters dormancy, and at this time watering can be stopped. Watering should be controlled, otherwise the branches will grow very quickly, affecting the blooming of the flowers.

3. Light

Give it enough sunlight. If it lacks sunlight, it will only grow branches, and the leaves will turn yellow and fall off. In the hottest summer period, shade it, and do not let sunlight scorch it directly. You can place it in a ventilated area indoors, and frequently spray water around it and on the leaves to increase humidity. It needs to grow in an environment of 18-24 degrees. If it exceeds 30 degrees, as long as there is enough water, it will still grow normally. When winter comes, prepare an environment of no less than 8 degrees; below 5 degrees it will suffer cold damage. In mild cases it will drop leaves, and in severe cases the stems will wither.

4. Fertilizing

During its growing period, do not apply too much nitrogen fertilizer, and mainly use phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, such as soybean cake fertilizer. When it is blooming, add organic fertilizer once every seven days; it needs to be decomposed, and the concentration only needs to be 20 percent. You can also add a tiny bit of ferrous sulfate to it.

5. Pinching

In April, pinch it, and remove all dead branches and yellow leaves. This can help the flower buds grow and produce buds earlier, and by early May it can bloom. Flowers generally wither after 25 days, so remove them, then add fertilizer, so that the next generation of flowers has a chance to open. You can also buy a special nutrient solution and spray it on the branch tips to promote flowering.