Plumerias.... Lots of leaves, 2 are VERY Healthy and yet NO FLOWERS?

Jim Ginas
by Jim Ginas
I have 3 Plumerias.. (one from a broken offshoot that grew nicely.) One has lots of leaves, but now looks like beetles are getting to it. ((I'll spray those and it should be fine.)) *** ISSUE is the other 2 are doing well, yet NO FLOWERS. I even put plant food into it for blossoms and that same plant food seems to be working good on my Hibiscus, but NO FLOWERS from the Plumerias!
This one is starting to get eaten by beetles. I'll spray and kill them and it should have healthy leaves again.
Larger of the 3, yet NO FLOWERS! 1
Smallest of the 3, from a broken offshoot when plant fell over last year, but doing well, YET NO FLOWERS also!
  10 answers
  • Have you tried fertilizer for blooms? I have known people who grow these and fertilizing was their "trick".
  • Jim Ginas Jim Ginas on Jul 27, 2013
    C Renee: Yes, thank you. every 2 weeks is recommended, though we just read that new plumerias could take up to 4 years to bloom flowers, unless you propogated from a previous flowering plant. may be the issue. (Full sun, approx 13 hours a day, watered almost daily so the soil is moist, and plant bloom fertilizer every 2 weeks. (and approx every 2 weeks to spray the leaves to kill the bugs (aphids and beetles)
  • Nancy Hand Nancy Hand on Jul 28, 2013
    Are they getting enough sunlight? 6-8 hrs of sunlight is good. Keep the soil moist well drained. Don't let it dry out. Keep fertilizing with water soluble fertilizer weekly. A high phosphorus (the middle number, P) will promote blooms. hope this helps! :)
  • Jim Ginas Jim Ginas on Jul 28, 2013
    Morning Nancy. Yes, actually approx 13 hours of sunlight! They are in a position that from dawn to dusk, they are in sunlight. Soil stays moist and pots have holes to drain into a bigger pot (with holes also), I tried with three types of plant bloom fertilizers: Miracle Grow (Bloom, 10-52-10), Super Bloom (12-55-6) and this works on Hibiscus really well!) and also recommended at the garden center, Ferti-Loom (7-22-8). ** One note: I do notice some of the leaves turning yellow with black spots..... that's when I spray them. I note beetles or spiders between the leaves at times.
  • April E April E on Jul 30, 2013
    plumaria do not bloom until they are old enough to bloom and that is 3 to five years old. also be careful not to over fertilize them every 2 weeks is recommended in their natural habitat, and you should be using a 20-2020 at this time as I believe they are not old enough to bloom yet and all you are doing with trying to force them to is stressing out your plant leaving them susceptible to insects and fungus. you should only be fertilizing about once a month. also what kind of soil did you use to plant them in they need a good soilless potting mix and small gravel at a 60/40 ratio I usually use small aquarium gravel or bonsai gravel for this. yellow with black spots is usually a fungus spray them with a copper fungus spray for this issue
  • Jim Ginas Jim Ginas on Jul 30, 2013
    April... ok, I'm sure I am over stressing them then. I only fertilize every 2 weeks, but with a high phosphorous. I have to find a 20-20-20.... Soil: regular planting spoil, probably Miracle Grow...... Thanks much!
  • Dot Dot on Jul 31, 2013
    having the same problem with mine. I started from seeds about 10 years ago. Every summer no matter what it feed them, all I had was leaves. Last winter I cut the plant into about 10 pieces, and did not think they would winter over. I put the pot filled with them outside, and thougth they were a goner. Lo and behold, I now have a bunch of them, but sill no flowers.
  • Jim Ginas Jim Ginas on Jul 31, 2013
    Hello Dot! I grew up in Holtsville and have friends and family from Holbrook. ok, so I moved the plants across the yard, still lts of sun, but haven't bought the Epsum salt yet to spray them or the 20-20-20 fertilizer. They still look nice with all the leaves though.
  • April E April E on Aug 02, 2013
    you don't need the Epsom salts yet as they are not old enough to need it and yes plumariis can give your garden a great look with or without flowers the only issue most folks have with them is forgetting they are tree and trees take time to mature Dot did you have them in full sun? they do need at least 6 hours a day (more if possiable) where you are to bloom and now that you cut it up you will have to wait a minimum of 2 years before you get bloom and it can be up to 5
  • Jim Ginas Jim Ginas on Aug 10, 2013
    April E: so I see your page and see what reminded me LAST NIGHT at Busch Gardens of a Rubber Plant (I think that is what it was, dark thick green leaves, nice looking plant) and thinking last night, I'd like THOSE... they would look GREAT in the Garden and maybe Sunroom! **** then I start reading your post about Rubber trees!!