Question of the Week
browse by: questions
Why didn't my mountain laurels bloom?
There are lots of reasons, but the first thing I would look at is whether or not this plant is in full sun. The label on this one will tell you partial shade is okay, but as with any plants that flower if they are listed for full sun, they will flower better if they get that full sun.
You also want to look at your watering. Too much water on these plants is not good for them, especially in clay or poorly drained soil.
Also look at any insect activity; some insects may eat the flower blooms. This year keep an eye out for destructive caterpillars. They can defoliate a tree very quickly. When you see them, immediately spray with Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis).
And, you might have mistakenly removed those flower blooms, because they do look very different from any others. It's a very pendulous spike that hangs down from the growing point and it really doesn't look like a flower bloom when you first see it.
Keep an eye out for these grayish-protruding buds in the next month or so. They are next year's flowers.
Mountain laurels don't require any fertilization. If you used a lot of fertilizer on the lawn and around these trees, too much nitrogen can also inhibit flower production.
Related Episodes
