What are the reasons why mock orange (Aglaia odorata) does not bloom
Why mock orange does not bloom. Mock orange, also called Aglaia odorata or tree orchid, bears yellow flowers like small grains of millet and has a rich fragrance, which makes it well loved. Although the fragrance of mock orange cannot match the elegance of orchids, it is certainly a notch above night-blooming jasmine and the like.
Growing mock orange is mainly for enjoying its fragrance. When growing mock orange, you often run into the problem of lush branches and leaves but no flowers, or buds like grains of millet that drop off before opening, or even flowers that bloom but lack fragrance. Why is this?
Mock orange is native to Guangdong, Guangxi, Taiwan, China and parts of Southeast Asia, and likes a relatively humid and warm climate. Therefore, at the beginning of cultivation you must meet its need for warm, humid conditions. It must not be exposed to direct sunlight, watering should be moderate, and you should apply more nitrogen fertilizer such as urea to support vegetative growth. Once the plant has grown, you should apply more phosphorus fertilizer such as superphosphate. Otherwise, when it moves from vegetative growth (growth of branches and leaves) to the reproductive stage (bud formation and flowering), it will not form flower buds because it lacks the nutrients that promote flowering. After buds appear, continue supplying phosphorus fertilizer; do not water too much, as excess water is one of the causes of flower drop.
Sometimes excessive dryness will cause the leaves to curl, dry up and even drop, which is bad for flowering, so water according to the climate. When temperatures are high, air moves quickly and evaporation is fast, so the potting soil dries out easily; you can water more, or spray water on the leaves and ground to increase humidity. When there is too much water in the pot, it easily causes root rot. If the conditions for flowering are met, that is, sufficient fertilizer and a humid environment, it will keep producing small yellow flowers on new branches. Otherwise, even if it produces a few flowers, their fragrance will not be obvious.
If fertilizer, water and other factors are all fine but it still does not bloom, you must carefully check the undersides of the leaves and the branches for motionless small brown dots. These seemingly still, non-feeding brown dots (scale insects) attach to the leaves or branches and constantly suck nutrients from the plant. Over time, the leaves will keep dropping, and even branch by branch will die until the whole plant dies. In this situation, you should spread paper over the potting soil, brush off the insect bodies one by one with a small toothbrush, and then burn the paper. The pesticides that can kill them by spraying are generally highly toxic agents. Under normal circumstances they should not be chosen, and they also cannot be purchased from flower shops or pesticide stores. The above is an introduction to why mock orange does not bloom.
Why mock orange flowers are not fragrant
Why mock orange flowers are not fragrant. The reason mock orange flowers have fragrance is that the flowers contain oil cells that produce scent, which continuously secrete and release aromatic oils through oil glands, and how much aromatic oil is released mainly depends on temperature and light intensity. Here are the reasons why mock orange flowers are not fragrant.
1) Summer is the peak growing season. Keeping it for a long time in a shaded spot with little light, plus applying nitrogen fertilizer or watering too much, will all result in no flowers, few flowers, or a weak fragrance.
2) Keeping it indoors for a long time in summer for viewing, because indoor sunlight is too weak or the spot is too dark, causes poor growth, a weak plant and sparse branches and leaves, which can result in only leaves growing and no flowers.
3) Attack by red spider mites and scale insects causes small brown spots to appear on new branches and old leaves, or small white insects, ultimately causing heavy leaf drop and flower drop and then death.
When sunlight is sufficient and the temperature is above 30°C, aromatic oil is released quickly and the fragrance is strong. Conversely, when light is insufficient or the temperature is lower, mock orange can still bloom, but the fragrance is not strong, or even completely absent. Mock orange blooms in late autumn and early winter. If it is placed indoors, the light intensity at that time obviously cannot compare with summer, the light duration is also shorter, and with the lower temperature, the flowers naturally have no fragrance.
At this time, you can place the mock orange outdoors to give it sufficient sunlight, and at the same time, when it is indoors, supplement a certain amount of light and warmth so that it can grow normally and produce flowers with a rich fragrance. The above is an introduction to why mock orange flowers are not fragrant.
Why mock orange flowers are not fragrant
Why mock orange flowers are not fragrant. Mock orange usually has two types, large-leaf and small-leaf. The large-leaf type has a very light fragrance, while the small-leaf type has a stronger fragrance. Besides varietal characteristics, cultivation conditions often affect the release of fragrance. If phosphorus and potassium fertilizer are added before it is about to bloom, and it often receives diffused sunlight with moderate watering, its fragrance will be stronger when it blooms; if too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied before flowering, or it is too shaded, or there is too much water, its floral fragrance will be very weak. Mock orange is generally grown in pots, and its seedlings must have an intact root system and soil ball before they can be cultivated.
Repotting or changing the soil can be done in spring, summer or autumn. In the south, dried and crushed pond mud is often used for potting; in the north, acidic potting soil or river sand is needed for potting. Fertile potting soil is required, and a mix of 25% leaf mold, 50% compost and 25% river sand can be used. Place more tile pieces at the bottom of the pot or add a small amount of fully decomposed cake fertilizer to improve drainage.
After potting, first place it under a shade shed for care, and spray water on the leaves 1 to 2 times a day (during the first half month, water less). After new shoots appear, move it to a bright spot for care. Newly potted seedlings should start receiving diluted sesame paste residue water as a top dressing around the beginning of autumn. From the second year, apply fertilizer once every 20 days during the peak growing season. If potassium dihydrogen phosphate at 1:1000 solution can be applied alternately, flowering will be even more abundant. The potting soil should be kept constantly moist. In winter, move it into a moderately warm greenhouse to overwinter, let it receive direct light, and pay attention to ventilation. It is generally placed on a high platform near the south side of the greenhouse. The greenhouse temperature must not be lower than 10°C, water should be given sparingly and top dressing should stop, and scale insect damage must also be prevented. In late April to early May of the following year, move it outdoors again and keep it in a sheltered spot.
From the seedling stage onward, attention should be paid to shaping the mock orange, keeping a main trunk of 15 to 20 cm. The lower branches of perennial old plants often age and die, so shorten-prune once every year or every other year to encourage more side branches to sprout. Mock orange has a rich floral fragrance that lingers for a long time. In the south, air layering can be used for propagation. In the north, from late May, peat and river sand are usually mixed as a cutting medium for softwood cuttings, with plastic film used to maintain strict humidity. After the beginning of autumn, the rooting rate can reach about 60%, and growth during the seedling stage is extremely slow. The above is an introduction to why mock orange flowers are not fragrant.