Hello, heckabore. Normally, pruning after the rhodie has set flower buds would cause your problem. However, since it has not been pruned in 5-6 years, something else is causing the problem. Do you mind answering some questions? How close is it planted in relation to the other plants, shrubs and/or trees? Can you give us an idea in terms of plant types and inches/feet of separation? Has the plant ever bloomed... at all? Do you have flower buds now or did the plant not even set buds at all? If it has buds, how do they look? Healthy? Are they browned out? Do they look like they have hair covering them? (That is a sign of a fungal infection.) Do you have animals that could eat the flower buds in your city? Deer and squirrels have been known to eat the buds in some locales. If the plant is not developing buds, how much and when do you fertlize? Could it be getting too much nitrogen directly (when you fertilize it) and indirectly (from lawn fertilizers)? Normally, you do not need to fertilize rhodies as they feed off the decomposing mulch. But if you have to fertilize due to poor soils or because it is in a pot then the plant could stay busy in growing mode if you apply fertilizers after July or so. July or so is when the plant begins developing flower buds for next year. Cold weather can be issue but I doubt it would be THE issue for so many years in Zone 9. Moreover, I would have expected it to be an issue for the azaleas too. Very wet conditions could also cause problems during summer so let us know if you normally have cool wet summers. Lack of sun can also be an issue although I would be suspicious of that if the nearby azaleas are blooming as well as you say. Is the plant suffering from moisture issues at the time it is developing the flower buds (July-August)? This could be an issue to nearby azaleas but it surprises me that all of them are doing ok. How much and how often do you water during the summer? If they are drowned in water during this critical time, they may be unable to develop buds. Ditto for lack of water. Soil Ph might be an issue too but it would have affected the other azaleas. Lack of certain micro nutrients in the soil can trigger this behaviour in rhodies but, again, I am surprised that the nearby azaleas have not been affected. When was the last time that you had a soil test? Lastly and this is not a cop out, I have heard of some varieties of rhododendron that never bloom but I doubt yours would be if the label showed otherwise. People buy them for the foliage. Of course, you did mention that the missing plant label indicated otherwise. If we cannot figure something out, do not feel obliged to keep this weak specimen. Some plants like roses (Queen Elizabeth for example) sometimes bloom poorly or not all. Luis

Hi Joanna, I remember reading recently that it may take seven years before a Floss Silk Tree will bloom. The Sunset's Garden Climate Zones map will give some idea on the zones; the area from Los Angeles to San Diego is classed as Mediterranean climate zone, so reading the data for zones 18-24 might be helpful. Though, the information does not include precipitation; the area is considered desert. Rain totals for the year around San Diego are from 9 to 12 inches (22.86 to 30.84 cm). As far as adding Potassium is concerned, it would depend on your soil analysis. I tend to remember a 'rule' concerning fertilization from a seminar I once took, "Don't add what you already have too much of". CHORISIA Floss Silk Tree Bombacaceae Evergreen To Briefly Deciduous Trees Zones Vary By Species Full Sun Moderate Water Native to South America. Heavy trunk is studded with thick spines; it is green in youth, turns gray with age. Leaves divided into leaflets like fingers of a hand, drop during autumn flowering or whenever temperatures fall below 27 degrees F/ -3 degrees C. Large, showy flowers somewhat resemble narrow-petaled hibiscus blooms. Fast drainage and controlled watering are keys to success. Water established trees about once a month during growing season; ease off in late summer to encourage more flowers. Need little pruning except to remove wayward or dead growth. C. insignis. WHITE SILK FLOSS TREE. Zones 12, 13, 15-24. To 50Feet tall(15.24 meters) tall and wide. White to pale yellow5-6inch (12.7- 15.24 cm) flowers. Blooms from fall into winter; stopped by frost. C. speciosa. Zones 12-24; H1, H2. Grows 3-5 feet (91.44 - 152.4cm) a year for the first few years, then more slowly to an eventual 30-60 feet (9.144 - 18.288 meters) tall and wide. Pink, purplish rose, or burgundy flowers are 4 inches (10.16 cm) or more across. Grafted varieties include 'Los Angeles Beautiful', with wine red flowers, 'Majestic Beauty', a thornless variety bearing rich pink blooms From the Sunset Western Garden Book, Sunset Publishing Corporation, Menlo Park, California USA Sunset's Garden Climate Zones http://www.sunset.com/sunset/garden/article/0,20633,845238,00.html Terran Here is a link that might be useful: Sunset's Garden Climate Zones

Secret: patience. If your tree is a seedling, as many nursery plants are, it will take a minimum of seven years to reach flowering stage. Or as many as seventeen years. If it is a budded/grafted named cultivar, however, it should bloom within 2-5 years. When these plants don't bloom as early as they should, it's often a case of too much regular watering and/or a soil that is naturally too rich or too heavy with supllemental fertilizer (especially nitrogen). Joe

Hi Kate, I planted my floss silk in 2006 and it has bloomed the last 3 years or so. It blooms in the fall and has had more blooms each year. However, I don't care if it blooms or not, the trunk and the beautiful foliage that's about to pop now is what moves me. I do nothing to it at all, but it is in the lawn, so it does get fertilized a couple of times a year with soybean meal or alfalfa pellets. It also gets sprinkled once a week. It is not in full sun, but 2/3 day sun. I had another at another property that didn't bloom well because it was on the north side of the house. That one was in a shell driveway with no water or fertilizer and in 3/4 day shade and did well except the blooming. I think if yours gets plenty of sun it will bloom eventually. Don't do too much to it, they are not needy plants. Good luck! Anna