Expert: C.L. Fornari - 8/4/2006

Question
Location:  Central Texas
Plant location:  In ground, south side

I planted a hybiscus, forgot to cover it and the frost got it.  I cut the dead plant down to the ground.  Surprise~it came back!  For 2 years it has grown and grown; it has beautiful full green leaves...no flowers.  If I use a blossom booster on it, will that help, or am I going to have this beautiful little green plant sans flowers forever?  Thank you!

Answer
Sometimes a plant that has been recently cut to the ground - or died to the ground from freezing - will take awhile to regrow leaves first without flowers.  If you look at it from the plant's point of view, leaves are necessary to keep the root system alive and functioning...flowers are gravy.  The plant that has just lost everything up on top needs to replace it, and perhaps grow a bit more because history has just shown that things are uncertain.  So the plant will put all energy into growing leaves first.

At this point, you can try giving it some blossom booster fertilizer that is high in phosphate, or a little super phosphate watered in well around the plant is fine if you have already used another fertilizer.  Make sure that the plant is in full sun - or full sun through the noon hour and shade in the afternoon.  You could also try clipping three or four branches back, taking about a quarter off the plant.  This pruning isn't enough to make the plant grow a bunch of new stems, but might help shock the plant into blooming.

So try this:  super phosphate or bloom booster (after the plant has been well watered - never fertilize a thirsty plant)

Full sun - at least 5 hours including the noon hour.

Prune three or four branches back by 1/4  of their length.

With this treatment it should set buds soon.

all the best,
C.L.