My Solandra maxima is blooming for me for the first time. Very beautiful flowers!!
I wonder if S. guttata and S. maxima might be synonyms. Looking at BugFreak's S. guttata, they look identical. Mine starts out the first day or so a creamy white, turning yellow to gold over the next few days. I can't find any info saying yea or nay, though.
In either case, I love these!!
More "front on" pic. I tried pollinating some of the blooms yesterday afternoon, but we got lots of rain last night and still more today, so I'm sure it's washed off (the stigma sticks out passed the lip of the flower).
Here's the mug shot... the spherical part of the flower is probably about 3" in diameter, with the overall length being maybe 7" or so (that's guesstimating).
Oh DEAR - My Solandra bloomed once and has not bloomed in 3 years....what am I doing wrong? Plents of water, plenty of sun....fert once in a while...and zip. Help!
Someone told me a long time ago that they have to be stressed to force them to bloom. By stressed, he meant allowed to go dry to the point of dropping leaves. I tried it, but probably went one day to long on holding the water back. Lost almost every leaf it had. I watered it, it made new leaves, but I never saw a bloom and I gave it away. Has anyone heard of this before?
Hhmmm... mine has sat neglected but happy since I bought it in the spring. Gets watered maybe once a week or so - but it never looked stressed between waterings. I don't know that I ever fertilized it once, but might have a time or two. It's pretty well loaded with buds now. I actually almost missed these first blooms because we've had so much rain lately I haven't been able to get in the yard much to check things out (plus, I've been so busy, I have literally been getting to my office before sunrise and not getting home until sunset or after).
I haven't done anything special to it and it's stayed lush and happy (not to mention, it's grown a ton!!).
I think I'll have to breakdown and ask a nurseryman! Will report back with anything earthshattering!
Carol
I have heard of having to stress them by holding back on the water a bit to get them to bloom. I've never tried it though. I'll give it a shot next year.
Logee's container book says to prune after flowering and not to prune again beacuse it won't flower for the next season. It also says to feed blossom-boosting fertilizer (high phosphate) every two weeks during active growth period. Blooming is induced by shortened day length, so flowering season is fall & into winter. Buds form on the growing tip with the decreasing day length...
Cutting it back may be the reason mine doesn't bloom. Will try that solution and see what next year brings. Thanks so much!
Poppy,
Thanks for all the tips. I sure will keep this in mind as I care for mine.
