The Bottlebrush plant, also called Callistemon Salignus, is a stunning member of the family Myrtaceae. The plant gets ladened with cylindrical flower spikes and colorful stamens that give it a distinct look.
Gardeners usually find it frustrating when their Bottlebrush fails to produce multiple vibrant flowers. There could be a few factors behind this.
We explore all the possible causes of the plant not blooming and ways to counteract them.
What Affects Flowering In Bottle Brush Plants?
Most of these factors are related to the plant’s ambient environment.
Temperature
Bottlebrush plants prefer a temperature range of 10-32 degrees Celsius for optimal growth. Temperatures outside this ideal range will make your plant not flower.
For example, if the temperatures drop below 10 degrees Celsius during Winter, you want to move your bottle plant indoors. This helps to support their continued growth and blooming.
We recommend keeping the ambient temperature around 15 degrees Celsius if growing it indoors. Also, beware of high temperatures that cause distress to your plant, making it fail to bloom.
Watering
Bottle brushes are drought tolerant, but like any other plant, they need water, especially during flowering.
Always scratch the topsoil with your finger or a stick to determine whether your plant might need more water. If there is no rain, water your bottlebrush daily in the first week to ensure the roots receive enough water for healthy growth.
You also want to avoid overwatering your plant since that leads to fungus build-up and root rot. Gradually increase the watering interval when the plant continues to grow.
Sunlight
Bottlebrush requires at least five to six hours of direct sunlight to bloom and keep its flowers vibrant and healthy. If growing them outdoors, ensure to grow them in areas receiving enough sunlight.
Additionally, check other plants growing around your bottle brush to avoid a phototropism effect that could block your ornamental from receiving light.
Phototropism causes plants to grow toward the light. The same goes for potted plants.
Humidity
A native of Australia, Bottlebrush loves warm and dry climates. High humidity levels can result in the plant failing to bloom.
Soil
Bottlebrush isn’t fussy about soil types, provided the soil is well-draining. Check that the soil is at a pH of 5.5 -7 to ensure optimal flower production.
Highly alkaline soil makes your plant’s leaves turn yellow— we advise doing soil tests to know your soil pH levels.
Preferably, use loam or peat for the best results. Prime your soil by adding compost.
Compost helps to enhance the establishment of plant trees and ensure they grow healthy.
Pruning
Pruning is an essential plant management practice that helps promote healthy growth and flowering in bottle brushes. What pruning does is shift the plant’s energy to flowering.
However, avoid pruning when the plant is laden with buds. This could lead to the plant producing significantly less flowers or failing to bloom altogether.
How To Get Bottle Brush Plants To Flower?
If your Bottlebrush plant is showing the following signs, it could mean it would produce a lot fewer blooms this season.
- Fewer buds than usual
- Small or distorted flowers
- Premature dropping of flowers
- Yellowing or falling leaves
Spot these signs early and take corrective measures in time.
1. Adjusting Environmental Factors
To ensure your plant is thriving and blooming, maintain appropriate ambient conditions such as bright light, medium temperature, adequate watering, low humidity, and slightly alkaline soil.
2. Soil Amendments and Fertilization
One common mistake gardeners make with the Bottlebrush plant is adding large shovels of nitrogen-based fertilizer at once.
Instead of producing blooms, the over-application leads to fast vegetative growth.
Consider doing a soil test to determine what nutrients your soil is lacking. Afterward, apply a suitable fertilizer rich in the required nutrients.
Also, be keen on the labeled instructions to avoid over or underapplication.
3. Proper Pruning And Maintenance
Pruning isn’t right if done at the wrong time. For example, if you prune your Bottle Brush at the time it’s ladened with buds, it’s likely not to flower.
Bottlebrush plants must be pruned during late spring or summer when they are done with heavy flowering.
You also want to maintain high hygiene standards by sterilizing your pruning tools and wearing gloves. This helps prevent the spread of diseases that could inhibit flower growth.
4. Control Pests And Diseases
Pests and diseases have an indirect effect on the ability of Bottlebrush plants to flower.
Common pests attacking the plant include web moths, root-knot nematodes, scale insects, and sawflies.
These pests suck sap, damage foliage, and act as disease vectors. An unhealthy Bottle brush is likely to struggle and bloom less.
Some common diseases affecting Bottle Brush include root rot, powdery mildew, twig gall, verticillium wilt, and sooty mold.
Always use a combination of natural, biological, and chemical control methods to control the above diseases.
Conclusion
Bottlebrush is a beautiful flowering plant and a great addition to gardens and landscapes. However, it sometimes can fail to flower for various reasons.
These factors could range from poor sunlight, improper pruning, underwatering, overwatering, poor soil quality, and high humidity.
By identifying the root cause and taking corrective measures on time, your Bottlebrush can start blooming and thriving again.
You surely will rejoice its vibrant flowers in your garden again.
