Why doesn't the bird of paradise flower? Analysis of common causes

  The bird of paradise (Strelitzia) has lovely, elegant and dignified flowers, with red and blue intermingled colors, making it very appealing. Its natural flowering period is mostly in winter and spring, and from budding to the end of blooming lasts up to 60 days or more, with each flower able to bloom for as long as 1 month, and when the flowers bloom they are even more spectacular. But many gardening friends, after growing it in pots for a long time, have never seen the bird of paradise bloom. What is going on here?

  In fact, to ensure that the bird of paradise can flower normally or bloom continuously, it depends on the owner's careful maintenance and management. When a flowering plant fails to bloom, it is mostly because problems have arisen in the daily maintenance and management process. So, what factors cause the bird of paradise not to bloom? When this phenomenon occurs, we need to look for the reasons from the following aspects.

  1. Planted too deep

  If the pot for planting the bird of paradise is too deep, especially when the plant is planted too deep, the potting soil will naturally cover too much of the root crown, which easily inhibits the process of flower bud differentiation. In response to this situation, it is recommended that the owner replace it with a shallower suitable pot for planting in late autumn of that year or the following spring, covering the soil only up to the root crown position, as long as all the fleshy roots can be buried in fertile soil; it must never be buried too deep.

  2. Pot too large

  When planting the bird of paradise, the choice of pot should not be too casual or hasty. First of all, the pot should not be too large; a suitable size and depth is enough. If the pot chosen is too large, a large amount of nutrients in the potting soil will be concentrated and absorbed at the roots, causing the plant to grow too many roots, which will eventually fill the entire pot. This will seriously affect the growth of the parts of the plant above the soil, and will likewise inhibit flower bud differentiation and affect the quantity and quality of flowering. Therefore, when potting the bird of paradise, we must pay attention, and it is recommended to choose a suitable pot for planting according to the plant's growth needs. This is one of the prerequisites for promoting normal flowering.

  3. Nutrient imbalance

  When the potted bird of paradise has a nutrient imbalance, it will also affect flower bud differentiation, leading to fewer flowers, lower flowering quality, or even no flowering. When the plant grows too luxuriantly, the amount and frequency of nitrogen fertilizer application should be controlled, and phosphorus and potassium fertilizer can be supplemented, for example, using well-rotted dilute organic fertilizer——manure water from poultry and livestock, and of course a dilute potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can also be watered on. In short, the plant must not be allowed to develop a nutrient imbalance, and correct measures should be taken so as to ensure normal flowering of the plant.