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krothlewis

Help!!! What is this??

Krothlewis
10 years ago

Hi everyone. I bought this plant about 1.5 years ago from a nursery in Leakey, TX. There wasn't a plant tag, but I thought it was really pretty. Some of the other trees had huge pink blooms.. Not a traditional flower shape. Mine has yet to bloom but I am not sure I am caring for it properly. The leaves look healthy... But it hasn't bloomed. I replanted it in mid April. Currently it is getting morning sun (~6 hrs) And fertilized every 10-14 days with either miracle grow or a micronutrient fertilizer (Bouganvillea mix).If anyone has any knowledge about this plant, it would be greatly appreciated. I would really like it to bloom! Thanks in advance!

Comments (10)

  • saltcedar
    10 years ago

    Lack of bloom may be due to crowding. Your plant appears to be a group several seedlings in a clump. If so it should be divided into separate containers.

    On the other hand if this is a Justicia it's a clumping herbaceous perennial not a tree and it should be multi-stemmed.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:281607}}

    This post was edited by saltcedar on Tue, Jul 23, 13 at 9:56

  • Krothlewis
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you.. I will do that. Any clue what it might be? I attached a close up image of a leaf.

  • saltcedar
    10 years ago

    See edit above for a possible ID...

    Or this one below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:281609}}

    This post was edited by saltcedar on Tue, Jul 23, 13 at 10:02

  • Krothlewis
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Your awesome.. The 2nd link is definitely it!! Thank you!

  • RugbyHukr
    10 years ago

    It may be that it is not yet mature enough to bloom.

    Also, too much fertilizer can hinder blooming. Too much nitrogen will push the plant to produce vegetation rather than flowers.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    And fertilized every 10-14 days with either miracle grow or a micronutrient fertilizer (Bouganvillea mix)

    ===>>>way too much fert for a plant in a pot..

    maybe twice a year????

    its a plant..not a child... it doesn't need to be feed regularly .....

    ken

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    10 years ago

    Ken, there you are wrong :-) Plants grown in containers need routine fertilization throughout the growing season. Potting soil is almost entirely devoid of nutrients and these need to be provided by the caregiver/grower - the plant has no other way to obtain them. And since containerized plants in summer are watered so frequently and nutrients leach out with every watering, these need to be replaced frequently.

    Unless you are using a slow release like Osmocote, it is often recommended to use a liquid (like the Miracle Gro or other water soluble products) on a weekly basis at half strength - or "weakly, weekly". You make a HUGE mistake if you try to impose inground growing conditions on containerized or potted plants - the situations are NOT at all similar.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    gal said: on a weekly basis at half strength - or "weakly, weekly".

    ==>>> unfortunately.. the OP said nothing about half strength ...

    and even i wouldnt argue about half or quarter strengthen ...

    also.. is there drainage in that pot??? ... repeated fert is done.. on the theory that a proper media allows EXCESS to wash out thru drainage ... besides the plant itself.. fert is req'd ... because of the flushing...

    its a mystery as to how such a large plant will grow in what i consider a small pot.. obviously it can be done .... but the question is.. how to perfect it... and a secondary question will be how fast the media in the pot degrades ....

    and all i am discussing.. is the variables... and if a plant favors green over flower.. as noted by someone else.. that could mean excess fert in the wrong formula ... or it could mean lack of sufficient sun levels....

    or simply transplant shock if done at that some imprecise moment in time...

    and i doubt OP in TX would need a discussion on frost damage ... killing viable buds ... so we can skip that variable ...

    as usual.. gal keeping me on my toes ...

    ken

  • TulsaRose
    10 years ago

    and i doubt OP in TX would need a discussion on frost damage ... killing viable buds ... so we can skip that variable ...

    Ahhh, Ken, you obviously have never gardened in Texas. ;-)

    Here is a link that might be useful: USDA hardiness zones for Texas

  • saltcedar
    10 years ago

    Amen to that. Need to park his butt down here for a year or two.
    He'd be so happy on return to MI. he'd never utter an unhappy word about his 'Weeds' again. Of course we'd never hear the end of how bad it is in Texas!

    This post was edited by saltcedar on Wed, Jul 24, 13 at 8:47

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