Should I be able to tell if my Serviceberry is going to bloom?

19 years ago

The reason I ask is because this coming spring will be the fourth spring I have had the tree (it is over 8 feet tall now), and the tree has NEVER bloomed. It is an amelenchier canadensis BTW. If it doesn't bloom this spring I am kicking it to the curb! What is the point of having a serviceberry tree that doesn't get berries!? Of course, I am going to wait it out and see, but I guess I am getting a little impatient and I am starting to speculate. So... is there a way to tell if your serviceberry is going to bloom?

~Jenny

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

terryr
19 years ago
I don't know how long it takes for them to bloom, but if it's going to, I would think you'd see buds. I've got the same thing, 2 actually, in shrub form, but they're little. The one out front, I don't think has grown at all. This is it's 3rd year in the ground! And it's maybe 2 1/2 ft tall.

Terry
Iris GW
19 years ago
The flower buds should swell up noticeably larger than leaf buds. But by the time this happens, they are just about to bloom anyway.
Related Discussions
Container Serviceberry (Amelanchier) Bloom Buds.
Q
Comments (7)
Hello, I know this is a long time ago that you posted this, but I want to say THANK YOU for posting this! I live in Ontario and want trees along a fence line that provide spring & fall interest, I know serviceberry trees are native here and would do well in their eventual home in our yard, which has clay, moist soil (hard to find low-maintenance shrubs that will grow in the soil conditions, plus we're zone 4, plus I'm just learning how to "be" a gardener/homeowner...) Anyway, I was going to plant serviceberry shrubs in 4 large containers (25" x 25" resin Suncast planters) I have on our patio, let them grow a bit for a year or two, then plant them once they were big enough to earn the respect/space of the lawn care crew out back... If I wait until November/December and then drag the pots into the garage until the frigid temps have passed... I know I could also line the pots with insulation (have a can of spray foam insulation I may use to cover the inside with an inch layer or so, like putting icing on a cake, but on the inside of the pot?... anyway, I'm sorry you didn't get many replies, I'm glad to see your plant did flower with some more space. If it is still in a container, or if you were able to transplant it into your yard, I would love an update to see how it was doing, many years later! I think the stories of saving little seedlings and letting them do their thing are great stories. Anyone can buy beautiful shrubs from a nursery, but little sentimental stories like this are why I enjoy gardening. Cheers!
...See More
No Blooms...Should I Repot My Violet In A Plastic or Clay Pot?
Q
Comments (10)
BittyBatts Although the peat based potting soils degrade into very low Ph mediums, stunting plants, repotting should fix that. African Violets, potted in peat based potting soils, are fine with any water Ph 8 or under. My water is 9+ I add phosphoric acid to bring the water I use on plants to Ph 7. It was easy after I figured it out but required some math to find the parts per million of phosphorus. It also required knowledge of how to mix water and acid. how to store acid and how to dilute water with acid to the proper Ph. Trust me, water Ph, unless your water is so thick with dissolved solids you can plant in it and the Ph is above 8, you don't want to mess with it. It requires addition of acids, the best being food grade phosphoric which despite the label is extremely corrosive in its undiluted state. Also, it is necessary to know how much phosphorus (ppm) are being added when you bring the Ph down. Phosphorus is a fertilizer. It is possible to use citric acid (expensive) sulphuric (dangerous) or nitric (dangerous) so it is best to leave the water alone if you don't have an extreme problem. Or repot every 6 months to counteract the buildup of minerals and Ph in the soil Very high Ph water can, over time, seriously affect plants. Yellowing of leaves, poor growth and lack of flowers are the usual symptoms. This post was edited by lucky123 on Fri, Aug 8, 14 at 17:24
...See More
Should i be embarrassed? My dog needs to go to vet but smells horribly
Q
Comments (44)
If it will be a month before treatment begins, sign up for an obedience class so you can learn how to have more control of him, plus it will be a bonding experience for both of you. You probably have trouble teaching him anything now simply because he is outside most of the time and none of the training is positive and repetitive. Contact your town Recreation Dept to see if they offer Dog Obedience, or some of the larger pet stores offer it. Google 'Dog Obedience Classes' for your area and several will most likely pop up. Personally, I prefer classes that are outdoors simply because it's the environment you would be walking him in, more distractions for the dog to get used to and definitely not as cramped as pet store aisles! Also, for chewing treats for large dogs, go to the meat dept of your grocer and ask for large bones, or knuckle bones. It'll keep him occupied for hours.
...See More
I would love to be able to grow tree ferns, I know it's a no go in 6a
Q
Comments (80)
Dave in NOva, no chance of me getting another pic now, it's about an 8 hr trip to get there. I just thought if you go there often that if you recognized the tree's shape when you went you could look at the leaves and see what it is, but there are many trees there, and it'd be hard to pick out the one. I will look online and see if the tree is in a picture, it is a really large tree, by the shape I thought for sure it was an oak. davidrt28, no I didn't know there were Redwoods there, I wish I would've known. I looked up the 2 plants you said got removed and not replaced, the Pine was surely huge if it was a mature one, they should've tried to replace it if they could'nt avoid removal, but the strawberry tree is pretty interesting, I think I saw a couple of them there, they were small, but I remember seeing those strange fruits, so i do think they've replanted a couple more. I wish I could plant one but it says zone 7b on Daves garden.
...See More
cydonia33
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks... I wonder if it is unusual for a serviceberry to take soooo long to bloom?? Like I said, it is over 8 feet and this will be the fourth spring I've had it, so to me, it seems strange. Well, if it DOES get kicked to the curb, I will be replacing it with ANOTHER serviceberry from a different source... I have my heart set on a serviceberry tree!!

~Jenny
knottyceltic
19 years ago
Ahhh don't kick it to the curb...it may just be stressed at the roots and doesn't bloom yet until the stress period is over. Some trees have a hard time getting their roots established so give it a year or two more and then find it a new home in an unassuming place on your property if you aren't happy with it. It will still do it's part to clean the air even if it never blooms (though I can't imagine it never blooming).

Barb
cydonia33
Original Author
19 years ago
Oh... I thought maybe I had gotten a defective tree that would NEVER bloom... hee-hee... but if you think that it is just a little stressed and it may take a while, I will wait it out... problem is I live in a city and my lot is very small (.11 acres), so if something isn't working out, it has GOT to go... but I give the plants I rip out to neighbors, so it won't be a total waste.

~Jenny
terryr
19 years ago
Jenny, I'm in the same boat as you with the small lot. We don't have a ton of money to buy big plants, so although I do want instant gratification, it just isn't going to happen on our budget. By the time I'm 60, I should have some decent size plants ;(

Should I be able to tell if my Serviceberry is going to bloom?

Comments (6)

terryr

Iris GW

Related Discussions

cydonia33
Original Author

knottyceltic

cydonia33
Original Author

terryr

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Should I be able to tell if my Serviceberry is going to bloom?

Comments (6)

terryr

Iris GW

Related Discussions

cydonia33Original Author

knottyceltic

cydonia33Original Author

terryr

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

cydonia33
Original Author

cydonia33
Original Author