I have several Combrerum vines of various species; coccineum, microphyllum, fruticosum, rotundifolium, grandiflorum. Several are huge, in 20-25 gal pots, and none will bloom. All seem happy, growing well, but not a bud to be seen. Can anyone that has any of these tell me what conditions they were growing in when they flowered? Can't figure out what I am missing.
Thanks in advance-
David, Fl
Combretum vines- won't bloom!
David, I don't grow combretums, but since nobody else answered yet, I thought I'd suggest a couple of things you could try that work for most flowering plants. Try these things one at a time, so you don't shock your plants.
First, move them to a location with more sun. Don't suddenly go from part shade to blazing sun, but move gradually to more and more light to see if that helps. I have an area in my garden on the south side of a big bamboo stand that is in full sun most of the year. But through June and July it's in shade most of the day because the sun is so high, the bamboo shades the area. I had to move some plants out of there because they were shaded and would stop blooming at the height of summer.
Second, too much water can make all foliage and no flowers. Ease back on water for a bit. Eg. if you're watering every day, just water more lightly for a week. I'd say you could water less and less until you notice a plant wilting slightly by the end of the day, then you know the minimum amount you should give them and go with that to see if the plant sets some buds.
Third, (actually, I do this first) see if your plants might have nematode problems starting. Even plants in pots can get nematodes here if the pots are sitting on the ground. Just wash some of the soil away from a section of the roots so you can see the roots clearly. IF they have knots, you've got nematodes. Best to take cuttings of the plant and start a new one in sterile soil. There's no cure and the plants will just decline from here.
Mine is in full sun and is quite pot-bound, so maybe that is what yours needs. Mine is in bloom right now.
Which species is blooming Kay?
I have Combretum fruticosum, but mixed it up with another vine I have - Camptosema praenantrium, which is the one in bloom now - The Combretum has NOT bloomed for me - sorry!
Camptosema praenantrium?
Yes - I got it from Woodlanders Nursery and that's what it's tagged. It has pendulous red blooms.