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| We planted a 3 or 4 foot crape myrtle last September. Don't remember the name, but it has pink flowers. Being new to the Maryland suburbs of DC and to crape myrtles, we're not sure when it will (should) bloom. I've started seeing other crape myrtles in bloom in this area, but mine doesn't even have buds. Should I be worried? The plant looks healthy and gets a decent amount of sun. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, Jun 21, 12 at 14:27
| i have never done CM ... but otherwise ... its not surprising that it might not bloom .. most flowering trees and shrubs.. 'set' their buds the prior late summer or fall ... which would have been right around the time you planted it ... perhaps you interrupted such with the transplant.. or they aborted from the shock ... w/o a picture.. that is all i can speculate on ... all i expect the first year.. is for it to live ... and NO .. it does not NEED to be fed ... ken |
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| Thanks, but I was hoping someone who lives nearby could tell me typical blooming times. I'm not planning to fertilize it, and it leafed out fine. What could you tell from a photo, other than to confirm that it doesn't have blooms yet? |
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Thu, Jun 21, 12 at 18:26
| why a pic??? is it planted too deep. does it have aborted buds is it stressed from improper water. is it under a maple tree ... are there bugs... i dont know ... a plethora of issue perhaps not covered in your few words of facts ... so you ask.. should you worry.. i dont know.. i cant see it.. and simply the fact that it doesnt have flower buds.. doesnt sound like anything i would worry about it ... i would be happy if it lived thru year one ... if you are seeing others in your area.. that are beginning to bloom.. why would yours not be beginning to bloom.. but for the planting last year???? ken ps: we had a mini heat wave in march in MI .. followed by repeated freezes.. and hard frosts.. i would say that 85% of my flowering shrubs/trees did not bloom this year ... regardless of the fact that others in the area bloomed ... many buds simply aborted and disappeared ... |
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- Posted by formandfoliage 9b (Sunset zone 15) (My Page) on Fri, Jun 22, 12 at 8:00
| hwm, different cm varieties bloom at different times. I am from No Cal but am visiting my sister in Annandale right now, and she has three or four mature plants (a 'Natchez', a 'Tuscarora' and a couple of others), none of which have started to bloom yet. Last night we went out to dinner and the hot pink cm in front of the restaurant was in full bloom. If you knew which variety you had, you'd have a better sense of when the bloom time was. Cms bloom on new wood, so the buds are set in the current year. They do need full sun, though, so when you say 'decent amount of sun', make sure that is what you mean, as insufficient sun is probably the most common reason that otherwise healthy cms don't bloom. Sometimes, too, fertilizer is the culprit, when they get too much nitrogen, which produces a whole lot of leaves but no flowers. Since your shrub is new and you have not fertilized it, that is not the cause of your dearth of flowers. So, check your site for sun, and if you feel it's properly sited, is otherwise healthy and putting out new leaves, you may just have to wait until next year. Good luck! |
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| Thanks formandfoliage. I realize now that my original question didn't clearly express my concern. I wasn't worried about the plant in general, just whether or not it would bloom. The dogwood we planted about the same time didn't bloom this spring, nor did some of the new rhodies, and the deer ate most of the day lilies just before they opened. I love flowering plants and was starting to worry I'd never see any flowers, especially when I noticed some crape myrtles flowering in this area. What I like best about them is that they bloom when other trees are done. |
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| they are just beginning to bloom in my area of east central alabama and normally are in full flower by mid-july. your area would likely be a few weeks or a month behind, i would think. here is a link to a site with bloom times and duration for several cultivars. |
Here is a link that might be useful: clemson extension service article - crape myrtles
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| Also, it's not unusual for newly planted shrubs and trees not to bloom the first few years, even if they had been in bloom in the nursery pots when you bought them. They put on a lot of root growth and vegetative growth, and their "priority" at that stage isn't blooming. C.M. does bloom on the new wood, so it's certainly possible it could bloom yet this year. |
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| We are in northern VA and ours haven't bloomed yet. Since you are a bit north of us, I would wait a bit. I have seen some around here that have started to bloom, but ours always seem to be a later variety. Welcome to the area! |
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| I have a pink one named Sioux that's just now budding, and everything else is in full bloom. Some don't bloom as early as others. It's been in the ground a couple of years, and this is the first time it's bloomed. |
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