Not blooming Ruellia

  • 7 Replies
  • 10064 Views

Kriticat

  • Newbie
Not blooming Ruellia
« on: June 30, 2016, 09:36:00 AM »
I planted several beautiful ruellia brittonia last year that flowered profusely from May until at least July.
This year they look glossy and healthy but only one has attempted flowering, nothing from the others..some are in shade, some in sun, some in clumps, one in a pot, one on it's own. ..all blind!
Any ideas?
Thanks in anticipation
20 years gardening on a handkerchief in London, now creating a much bigger plot in the south of Crete...much to learn

*

Fleur Pavlidis

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
Re: Not blooming Ruellia
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2016, 09:55:07 PM »
I think you may have to wait a little. Mine haven't started flowering yet either, but I'm sure they will - all of a sudden.
MGS member, Greece. I garden in Attica, Greece and Mt Goulinas (450m) Central Greece

David Dickinson

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Not blooming Ruellia
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2016, 09:32:56 AM »
My Ruellia brittoniana started to flower about 3 weeks ago. Today there are only a couple of flowers. Mine likes a lot of water. My Ruellia graecizans hasn't started flowering yet but at least it did survive the winter so it should flower sooner or later. Hope yours starts to flower soon.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

Kriticat

  • Newbie
Re: Not blooming Ruellia
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2016, 06:02:19 AM »
Thanks, hope you're right, but it's very late...they were definitely in full flower by the end of May last year. They all get plenty of water. I'd heard that overcrowding can make them blind but they are both planted singly and in clumps...so far just a couple of flowers on one of the clumps.
20 years gardening on a handkerchief in London, now creating a much bigger plot in the south of Crete...much to learn

*

MikeHardman

  • Hero Member
    • www.mikehardman.com
Re: Not blooming Ruellia
« Reply #4 on: July 17, 2016, 10:01:21 AM »
I, too, was thinking mine are a bit shy in flowering this year.
They are flowering, but not up to their usual rate.

(But I am pleased and impressed at how well they strike as cuttings, in water or soil.)

Mike
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

*

MikeHardman

  • Hero Member
    • www.mikehardman.com
Re: Not blooming Ruellia
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2016, 10:30:12 AM »
Further to my comment about cuttings rooting well...

Here's some examples; all rooted in water.
And they took to potting into soil without a hiccup (sometimes water-rooted cuttings with lots of root can't cope with being potted-up).
I'm tempted to try growing them hydroponically.

Note the fuzzy nodules in the third photo. Not sure what to make of them. I don't think they are root aphids or pathological. Might be beneficial microbial nodules?

Mike
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England

*

JTh

  • Hero Member
    • Email
Re: Not blooming Ruellia
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2016, 07:02:08 PM »
I agree with you, it looks as if the fuzzy stuff could be root nodules. These are more common in plants in the Fabaceae, but I saw at least one reference (http://www.fao.org/livestock/agap/frg/conf96.htm/rosales2.htm )saying that in another species in the Acanthaceae family, Trichanthera gigantea, nodules in the root zone have been observed, suggesting the association with mycorrhiza or other organisms, and indications that nitrogen fixation could occur in the root zone. This could explain the vigorous rooting of Ruellia that you have observed  in water, and your idea of growing them hydroponically is maybe not so wild.
Retired veterinary surgeon by training with a PhD in parasitology,  but worked as a virologist since 1992.
Member of the MGS  since 2004. Gardening in Oslo and to a limited extent in Halkidiki, Greece.

*

MikeHardman

  • Hero Member
    • www.mikehardman.com
Re: Not blooming Ruellia
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2016, 09:26:24 PM »
Thanks Jorun,

If I do some work on Ruellia hydroponically, I shall report back.

I find Ruellia get rather leggy and ungainly. As well as cutting them back harder to keep this trait in check (hopefully), I think I will try rooting cuttings on their sides (laying them in a tray of water) - so, once planted in soil, new shoots will start from ground level. Well, it's just an idea...

Mike
Mike
Geologist by Uni training, IT consultant, Referee for Viola for Botanical Society of the British Isles, commissioned author and photographer on Viola for RHS (Enc. of Perennials, The Garden, The Plantsman).
I garden near Polis, Cyprus, 100m alt., on marl, but have gardened mainly in S.England