Do some trees take a certain amount of time from first germinating to when flowers appear? I am asking specifically about vachelia for which there is little info out there, but curious to understand how things work generally. By comparison, I have other young trees that produced flowers, but haven't had any on the vachelia (but they're only a little over 1 years old). I am also pretty sure I am not seeing flowers on my stewartia because I'm pruning the branches back. But not sure what to expect from the vachelia. So how does one encourage flower growth?
Encouraging Flowers?
- Thread starter dbonsaiw
- Start date
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Trees need to reach sexual maturity in order to flower.
Each species has its own timeline to maturity. Peaches are precocious and can flower at 1 year from germination. Wisteria are much slower and rarely flower before 7 years old and often much longer.
Conditions as the trees grow can also influence how long they take to reach flowering. Optimum conditions means they mature faster. Poor growing conditions may delay maturity.
You've also pointed out that trimming can influence flower formation.
Apples and pears develop short 'fruiting spurs' that grow very little but flower year after year. Trimming long shoots on apples does not impede flowering and may even encourage fruiting spurs and therefore flowering.
Peaches and most other Prunus sp flower along the previous year's growth so pruning off new growth during the growing season will remove potential flower buds before they even develop.
Azalea and many other spring flowering shrubs and trees produce flowers at the tips of the previous growth, The flower buds begin to develop from late summer the previous year so if we want flowers on these sp, trimming must stop toward the end of summer.
Some summer flowering trees like crepe myrtle flower at the tips of the new spring shoots so trimming in spring can reduce flowers before the buds develop.
Learning the growth habits of trees and how and where the flowers form is key to pruning to enhance flowering.
I don't know Vachellia or how or when it flowers and don't have experience with Stewartia either so can't advise on how or when to prune to maximize flowers on either.
Potash - K in the NPK fertilizer notation seems to be associated with flowering. High N stimulates strong vegetative growth at the expense of flowers and fruit. Lower N and higher K ferts seem to encourage plants to flower more. Compare the formulation of fertilizers aimed at flowering plants - Roses, citrus, azalea, tomatoes, etc with fertilizers designed to boost growth - lawn, etc.
I use higher N ferts through spring and summer to assist growth then switch to 'flowering' formulation in late summer for any of the trees that are noted for flowers. It does seem to boost flowering.
Each species has its own timeline to maturity. Peaches are precocious and can flower at 1 year from germination. Wisteria are much slower and rarely flower before 7 years old and often much longer.
Conditions as the trees grow can also influence how long they take to reach flowering. Optimum conditions means they mature faster. Poor growing conditions may delay maturity.
You've also pointed out that trimming can influence flower formation.
Apples and pears develop short 'fruiting spurs' that grow very little but flower year after year. Trimming long shoots on apples does not impede flowering and may even encourage fruiting spurs and therefore flowering.
Peaches and most other Prunus sp flower along the previous year's growth so pruning off new growth during the growing season will remove potential flower buds before they even develop.
Azalea and many other spring flowering shrubs and trees produce flowers at the tips of the previous growth, The flower buds begin to develop from late summer the previous year so if we want flowers on these sp, trimming must stop toward the end of summer.
Some summer flowering trees like crepe myrtle flower at the tips of the new spring shoots so trimming in spring can reduce flowers before the buds develop.
Learning the growth habits of trees and how and where the flowers form is key to pruning to enhance flowering.
I don't know Vachellia or how or when it flowers and don't have experience with Stewartia either so can't advise on how or when to prune to maximize flowers on either.
Potash - K in the NPK fertilizer notation seems to be associated with flowering. High N stimulates strong vegetative growth at the expense of flowers and fruit. Lower N and higher K ferts seem to encourage plants to flower more. Compare the formulation of fertilizers aimed at flowering plants - Roses, citrus, azalea, tomatoes, etc with fertilizers designed to boost growth - lawn, etc.
I use higher N ferts through spring and summer to assist growth then switch to 'flowering' formulation in late summer for any of the trees that are noted for flowers. It does seem to boost flowering.
fredman
Masterpiece
Vachellia trees aren't shy to flower from young. Under favorable conditions on average about 3 years i'd say...even earlier.
Important to know the flowers forms at nodes on the previous season's shoots....so if you trim the branches, you might not get flowers the following year.
Interesting thing about Vachellia, is those species with small hooked shaped thorns all has long cylindrical shaped flowers, while those species with long straight thorns, all has round ball shaped flowers.
Which Vachellia do you have?
Important to know the flowers forms at nodes on the previous season's shoots....so if you trim the branches, you might not get flowers the following year.
Interesting thing about Vachellia, is those species with small hooked shaped thorns all has long cylindrical shaped flowers, while those species with long straight thorns, all has round ball shaped flowers.
Which Vachellia do you have?
Thanks. I believe Vachelia Caven. Long, straight thorns.
Awesome explanation. Thanks.
fredman
Masterpiece
Ah...its a Argentinian thorn tree. Very similar to the smaller multi stemmed ones of Africa though.
Beautiful tree I think. Love the brightly coloured flowers.
https://www.treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/acacia/acacia-caven/
Thanks for sharing. I found these as well.
https://garden.org/plants/view/214442/Caven-Thorn-Vachellia-caven/
Factsheet - caven
I need to wear a sweater when I water these in the tent to protect myself from the thorns.
Currently fertilizing with Bonsai Pro - query whether this type of fert will mess with eventual flower production or whether I should cut out/reduce the nitrogen because the tree is nitrogen fixing? It seems to be encouraging growth nicely and I am seeing lots of new growth, so no complaints now.
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
Your tree may or may not have the best rhizobia on the roots anyway, especially if it's been grown from seed in sanitary conditions. Have you noticed any nodules on the roots?
Even legumes with working rhizobia are happy to take N where they can get it. Fixing N from the air is hard work and expensive (need to provide board and lodging to the bugs that do the work). No such thing as a free lunch so they'll take plant available N where it is available and usually do better for it.
Best to keep feeding with general fertilizer, at least through the development stages. 7-9-5 is a reasonable ratio. Not too high in N so should not interfere with the flowering when it happens.
Even legumes with working rhizobia are happy to take N where they can get it. Fixing N from the air is hard work and expensive (need to provide board and lodging to the bugs that do the work). No such thing as a free lunch so they'll take plant available N where it is available and usually do better for it.
Best to keep feeding with general fertilizer, at least through the development stages. 7-9-5 is a reasonable ratio. Not too high in N so should not interfere with the flowering when it happens.
Much thanks. I did notice the nodules at last repot - pretty cool stuff. I will continue my fert routine and hope to one day post pics of flowers. I don't typically grow trees from seed, but catching a whiff of the aroma coming from the flowers on this tree on vacation I decided to snag some pods. For what it's worth, I thought they were acacia at first and followed Nigel Saunders' videos for germinating the seeds. Seems to work the same for Vachelia.
