Cynthia,
I am glad that you got this one, as it is very beautiful. Sorry to hear of the disappointment with rest of flowers or potential flowers.

I need to pass notes with you. I to, have a plant right now that seems to be doing exactly what you speak of yours doing, atleast from what I know so far.
I have one that has been loaded with buds at all different stages of growth?
Has tiny buds and large swollen ones looking ready to open and they just sit there, not opening and so far just drop off.
I was/am in a conundrum about the issue.
I have had some very helpful info. and advice. One, the possibility of it being related to it being a "grafted plant" , root stock and scion.
Other, a water management issue. Whether it is too much or too little, I am not sure. I tend to underwater more than over water.
Mary told me that she had one that did similar for a couple years and then was fine there after.

Is yours a grafted plant?
How about your watering schedule.
Where you fertilizing it and what amounts?

I was beginning to wonder if the pot itself was getting too hot (although I know they can withstand extreme heat) and the root zone was getting too hot. So I have it inside another pot to try.

Hope you do not mind the battery of questions.
Rick

I think that blossom is gorgeous! Too bad it isn't fully opened. I do think the partially opened blossom gives it personality, but I'm dying to see the beautiful center it has!

Cynthia,

I am really glad you asked this question as I have quite a few of my plants dropping buds too. I was thinking perhaps I got a little too lax with the fertilizer and that is why they started falling off. I'm going to add fertilizer on every water while it is in bud stage and see if that may help me.

Are you plants newer ones that are dropping buds or older plants that you have had for some time?

I hope you can figure out the problem...Rick is asking great questions to try to narrow down the problem.

Rick - I welcome your questions. Maybe we can figure out what's going on. I'm sorry you (and ladylotus) are experiencing the same thing.

This is a grafted plant. I bought it from Logee's back in March so it's my first summer with it. Do you have any idea how I can approximate it's age?

It's planted in Miracle Grow cactus mix (so is my Little Genius and it's not having this problem. I've had it two years). Temps have been 100+ and it's in a small pot in full sun most of the day so I've been watering it every other day. Enough water that it runs out the bottom of the pot. I may be over-doing it; I had the idea that it might need more water to support the flowers. How often are you watering?

What's the temperature like where you are?

I haven't fertilized it yet since the MG potting soil contains fertilizer. Maybe it's a heavy feeder and needs chow. ?

What you're both describing is exactly what happened: tons of buds in many stages of development and it's as if something turned them to "off." The larger buds got droopy but didn't wither, the small buds just withered. I picked at one bunch of tiny withered buds and the entire bud mass came off in a clump. (!)

I never considered that the heat of the pot could be a problem.

Since my other plant is doing so well (also not fertilized because I re-potted it when I potted this plant) I'm inclined to point the finger at this plant. What are you thinking may be the problem with grafted plants? Some sort of incompatibility?

The bloom never did open fully.

Cynthia

Cynthia and ladylotus,
I have been asking whom ever I can and heat stress, lack of watering (in draining mix, missing micro nutrients?

As for telling the age of the plant. I am not knowledgeable to pin point.
The root stock can be quite abit older than the scion used for grafting.
Size of caudex could tell you somewhat, but then growing conditions would alter.
Are temps. here are no where near 100 . We have been getting 75-90 at most, although I have had this plant in sunroom and sun through glass has been maybe too much. No burning though.
I believe that if the soil has some added fertilizer, you can still fertilize with diluted strength weekly.

I use 1/4 strength 20-20-20 for most waterings and plain in between, but from a well educated Adenium grower stated 1/4 strength every time.
I was told that if you live in an area with a fairly long growing season such as yourself, slow release as well as diluted fertilizer is good. If the pot you have it in now is too small, repotting would give it more soil and would not dry so quickly.
I had thought about repotting, but was concerned about it being in flower when I did so, so I didn't.
Not sure about the pot heating. Had read that people put a black pot inside of another pot to help lower the heat to roots?

Marie, who has many Adeniums mentioned that she had one do this for a couple seasons and then was fine there after. She has some amazing plants and is a wealth of knowledge.

I am moving mine to a location where it receives morning and early part of day sun (7hrs. of direct sun) and see how it fares.
Let's keep in touch with how these plants are doing.
Rick

I hope we figure something out because my growing season is SOOO short that I don't want to miss another summer of blooms.

Good luck to both of you. I hope you get to see some blooms.

I'm going to try fertilizing and see if that makes a difference. I'm still watering every other day (it was 107 yesterday - ugh) and will try 1/4 strength fertilizer once a week.

There are no signs of buds forming and the plant looks nice and healthy. Maybe we just need Tincture of Time. :)

One another note, my seedlings are doing well - they have 5 sets of leaves now. The one with no leaves (Nubby) isn't doing anything but isn't dying, either. Interesting to watch it.

Cynthia

Hi Cynthia!!!

I have seen this happen to mine as well... When this happens to one, it usually happens after a good rain. I think it has to do with over watering myself. Since I leave and don't get home for days, I see great growth and budding.. Because they really dry out for days .So I really think it has to do with our watering habits. In the south, I agree.. They need water, but if you wait a day or two, you might see improvement.

I fertilize in the spring at 1/4 strength.. In the summer I go full strength with FP every week to ten days.. They get flushed with water in between.. So when I do fertilize. I wet a little to protect the roots, then fertilize .

My DR's are all in terra cotta pots.

Great question...

I hope we can figure this out!!

Beautiful bloom!! I love the coloration on this gem!!!

Great work!!!

Laura

Me too have a grafted plant of this genre and never seen any of it bud blooming to their full potential.
Laura had shared perfect notes on watering and fertilisation but I feel this cultivar may be more sensitive to water/nutrient imbalances.That's why we are not getting full grown bloom.
I feel cultural practices are to be finetuned on this variety and same must be adopted to all grafted adeniums.

Hi. My name is Cynthia and I'm probably an over-waterer. "Benign neglect" needs to become my mantra.

After a stern self-reminder that these are succulents, I'm going to back off on water. I'm not going to start fertilizing right away because I want to see if there are visible effects from the change in watering (I teach science - can't introduce more than one variable :)

Thanks so much, Laura, for sharing your "program" and kind encouragement. And for the beautiful pics you post. You really fuel my addiction ;) OMG, your plumerias ...

Trip_kc, I think you're right that this cultivar may be more sensitive to watering. Is yours also a young plant?

Cynthia

This post was edited by mscynthia on Fri, Aug 9, 13 at 9:47

My Luang Siam had a great bud die-off this year as well. I never got to see one open. But it's putting out a couple new buds right now so hopefully I'll get to see something this time around.

Kirk

Very interesting (and odd) that so many of us had this happen with this cultivar this year. No buds on mine yet but I've got another couple of months of heat coming so maybe . . . Kirk, I hope this round of buds comes to something. Keep me posted?

2013: The Year of the Luang Siam Curse

Cynthia