Thank you 4S and Susan S. It looks like it'll have about 15 or more blooms before the end of its season. Since it only blooms once a year, it sure pays to have a decent looking plant too.

Douglas, did the nursery tell you how old your Birds were when you purchased them? I've always heard the birds require 7 years to mature before blooming, and that certainly has held true here. Outside of that, they're planted at the edge of a well elevated oak tree canopy w/the bright light reflected onto them by the cement driveway on one side. They're fertilized 2ce a year, and I water them 1ce a week or as needed. They're well established now, reaching 5' of height...........so you know they're well over 7 yrs. old.

That's about the size mine were when I planted them about 15 yrs. ago. They didn't bloom for years. I almost threw a neighborhood party when the first bloom appeared!

8-)

Sherrie S., That's weird! I can't imagine a Bird being that mature and never blooming. What a disappointment.

Sherrie, I feed it the Osmacote (sp?) for flowers and veges. The soil it's in has to be somewhat acid, since it's under the canopy edge of an oak tree. I don't do anything partiularly special for it, beyond what I do for my other plants (ie. insect control, acid lovers, roses, etc.). I know the lack of blooms is disappointing, but the vase shape of this plant is nice, and the foliage is unique and tropical. I sure wouldn't give up on it!!