When do osmanthus trees bloom?
Summary: This article introduces the blooming time of osmanthus trees and some small experiences in cultivating osmanthus trees for appreciation. If there are any mistakes, please feel free to correct them!
Before the scorching heat arrives, osmanthus trees are still in a vigorous growth stage. However, when the temperature remains above 32 degrees for an extended period, the growth rate of osmanthus trees will gradually decrease, no longer growing as vigorously as in spring. When the growth rate of osmanthus trees slows down, do you think they are dormant? No, they will switch to a brand new growth mode. Starting from mid-to-late June, osmanthus trees are "secretly" doing something related to blooming, and those who know about it have already changed their care routine.
The new branches of osmanthus trees gradually stop growing
The vigorous growth period of osmanthus trees is from March to June (March to June in the south and April to mid-to-late July in the north). During this period, they will quickly grow new branches and leaves. Therefore, how much your osmanthus tree can grow in a year is basically determined from March to June. Because starting from mid-to-late June, as the temperature rises, the growth rate of osmanthus trees will decrease to varying degrees until it completely stops.
If your osmanthus tree is still growing new branches and leaves rapidly, enhancing sunlight and applying a balanced compound fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium can promote further growth. If your osmanthus tree has stopped growing, it means it has passed the peak growing season, and there's no need to force growth anymore, as it won't be effective and may even lead to unexpected problems.
Osmanthus trees enter the bud differentiation stage
Starting from mid-to-late June, osmanthus trees will successively enter the bud differentiation stage (when new branches stop growing, it signals the entry into bud differentiation). It takes about three months for osmanthus trees to bloom from bud differentiation. If your osmanthus tree blooms in September, it will undergo bud differentiation in June. If it blooms in October, it will undergo bud differentiation in July.
When do osmanthus trees bloom?
Now that half of June is almost over, many osmanthus trees are "secretly" undergoing bud differentiation, which is closely related to blooming in autumn. Those who know about it have already started changing their care routine, while those who don't think it's enough to just take care of the trees in autumn. If you neglect the summer care of osmanthus trees, no matter how much effort you put in during autumn, you won't be able to enjoy the fragrant flowers.
Caring for osmanthus trees during the bud differentiation stage
No more pruning
Osmanthus trees can bloom on both new and old branches, but actually, the number of flowers on new branches is greater than on old branches, with new branches being the main bloomers. The new branches that sprout in spring will be able to differentiate into flower buds after maturing in summer and bloom normally in autumn. Now that it's summer, there's no need to prune osmanthus trees大幅 again. Otherwise, it may affect the autumn bloom, resulting in fewer flowers or no flowers at all.
Because pruning osmanthus trees now will result in new branches that cannot mature in a short time, which cannot differentiate into flower buds and bloom normally. The number of flowers on old branches is limited, so it's inevitable that there will be fewer or no flowers in autumn. However, if your osmanthus tree has diseased or very weak branches, it is still possible to prune them appropriately. Pruning diseased and weak branches can save nutrient consumption and increase ventilation and sunlight for the plant, which is beneficial for bud formation.
Enhance sunlight
Osmanthus trees are quite fond of sunlight, and in the south, they are usually planted on the sunny side. Good sunlight not only promotes rapid growth but also loves to bloom, producing many flowers with a strong fragrance. Therefore, when keeping osmanthus trees at home, it is best to give them as much sun as possible. Insufficient sunlight will result in wide leaves that are actually very unlikely to bloom.
For osmanthus trees planted in the ground and already growing normally, there's no need to shade them during the entire summer; they can be exposed to the sun freely. For potted osmanthus trees, whose root systems are not as developed as those planted in the ground, they should be shaded or placed in a semi-shaded, diffused light area when the temperature exceeds 35 degrees to prevent leaf sunburn. As the temperature in many places has not yet reached 35 degrees, there's no need to worry about leaf sunburn, so more sun exposure is beneficial for bud differentiation.
When exposing potted osmanthus trees to the sun, it is important to rotate the pot regularly. Strong summer sunlight can cause the trees to lean. Regularly rotating the pot prevents leaning and makes the overall appearance more attractive. If you notice that the leaves of your osmanthus tree are sunburned, shade it immediately, remove the sunburned leaves, and pay attention to the changes in other leaves.