I live in Zone 9, Houston area. I have 2 esperanza bush,one is about a year old the other 3 years old. The younger bush is blooming like crazy, the older bush is growing beautifully and tall with absolutely no signs of blooming. Both plants were cut back to ground level after winter. We had a very hard winter this year (for Houston). I was very excited when both plants came back and started to grow. This time last year both plants were blooming and beautiful. It's almost the end of June and not a single bloom on my 3 year old 4 foot esperanza. Lots of growing No blooming. Its been fertilized with shake and feed. I've even given it a dose of Miracle Grow. Help Stewers...whats wrong with my esperanza bush!!!
Are they in the ground or pots? The older one might have gotten some root damage in winter or you might have been feeding it more nitrogen than it needs. If the roots did suffer during the winter you might not get blooms this year or at least not until later in the summer, it's healing itself and plants take care of their roots before putting out blooms. If the fertilizer you have been feeding it is high in nitrogen then it has all this food for leaves and growth but no food for blooms. Mine is about 4 years old and has just started setting buds, it dies down to the ground every Winter and is usually the last plant to green up in Spring.
Thanks for the response. The esperanzas are both in the ground. I'll see if the fertilizer contains nitrogen. I just might have to wait it out and see what happens.
Plants, especially ones that are Native to an area like Esperanza is to Texas, know what they need to do to come back. And if they can't come back successfully they will let go. I think yours will come back. Mine has for 4 years and we get more winter in Dallas than you do in Houston....I think.
Mine doesn't start blooming until at least August. It may be even later this year since it was late coming back this spring. I'd say just give it a chance to do it's own thing.
