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olympia_gardener

Fragrant result --Stenphanotis

olympia_gardener
11 years ago

I have this plant for 6-7 years, maybe longer. I even can't clearly remember how long I have it, in a short, I had it for long, long time growing from seed. It is gettting bigger every year, I trim it down before winter. Every year I hope it flowers but it never did.


I have searched this forum and found out that I am not alone. There are a lot of frustrated "parents" out there waiting for their " kids" to bloom. I even read someone posted thread saying that he had tried every methods he can think of, still no sign of flower; someone had the plant for over 10 years and still no sign of flower... "Frustration" is the correct word to describe the state of mind of the owners.

My Stenphanotis is more than 4' tall , half of my weight. Imaging drag it in and drag it out in spring and winter time, Oh, my back starts to hurt even just to think about it!. I am also running out of indoor space and am thinking ditch this dam tree for good. I just left it in the dinning room next window, barely water it. In hot days like we just had, the curtain is closed, no light for weeks. about 2-3weeks ago, I move it out of the house to give myself some space and put it in west side of the house. Guess what, this mornig I found these strange things . If I am not mistaken, these are the flower buds!!!! There are a lot of small one at base of each leaves.

Lesson learned, I have been baby my plants too much. The rough play, in this case, nearly abuse resulted in sweet fragrant and satisfaction!

We ordered 6 seeds from TM originally and 5 survived and grew into mature tree. I phoned the other 4 frustrated "parents" this morning to deliver light of hope. Everyone is thrilled.







Comments (17)

  • Robert (zone 7a, Oklahoma)
    11 years ago

    Congratulations! I bet you're very excited!
    I hope they smell wonderful. :)

    -Robert

  • kandhi
    11 years ago

    You seem to have more patience than me. I had one for 5 years and did the same thing as yours, finally I gave up and gave it away 2 years ago. I bought a new one with blooms 2 years ago and that blooms every year without fail. I simply love the flowers that stay for several days. I love the subtle fragrance of the flowers also.
    The plant is blooming now and below are pics from last week


  • kasiec
    11 years ago

    Congratulation Olympia gardener!! You do have patience. I didn't know Stephanotis grown from seeds take a long time to flower. Please keep us update with the flowers.

    Kasie

  • olympia_gardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    You bet, Robert. I feel like hit the jacketpot! More than that, I am now guilty free.
    The 4 "parents" I gave my plants to, every year we were talking about when/how it will bloom. After a while, I started to feel guilty of I might have set them up for the failure... for all the time and effort them ( include myslef) invested in, they may never see the plant bloom. I started to thinking the plant might be a boy who will never flowers. Anyway, I can finally prove to my friends that plants we have will bloom.

    Couple years ago, I was in HomeDepot saw a fully bloom stephanotis, boy, that smells wonderful! I was thinking for only $24.95, the pot my plant is in costs more than that, and I can have a instant blooming plant. I was very tempted, but I did not buy. I am one of those selffish people adore my own "kids" more than "adopted".

    Kandhi, That is very handsomw plant you have. I wish mine can bloom as pretty as yours. Thanks for share the picture.

    Kasie, thanks. patient or not, it is like having a kid. Once you have them, you have to keep them till they are 18... no other choices. Once it starts to bloom, I think it will bloom every year from what I read. So it is much easier just buy a blooming plant.I certainly will post some pictures. I just don't know how long it takes, hopefully not 18 years.

  • meyermike_1micha
    11 years ago

    Ok everyone! You are all making me sick! lol

    Those plants are so beautiful and congrats on your plants! I can almost smell them from here! Yum.

    MIke

  • fenius
    11 years ago

    Olympia this is so huge!You are very greenthumbed, I'm trying mandevilla laxa seeds this year only one of which is still alive, I really suck with seeds! My two stephanotis are tiny compared to this ..and battling spider mites! Oh, well I hope one of them survives!

  • olympia_gardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Mike, Thanks. The flower buds turn white. I almost can smell it, but not yet. I have waited for so log, I can wait for few more days.

    Fenius, I see your adventure of seeking unsuall seeds from other threads. Good luck with it. After this Stephanotis, I am afraid of growing plant from seeds... just too many uncertainties. Spider mites is easier to be taken care of, use fish emulsion or any oil type of spray every week for few weeks will control the problem. I occasionly have leave mold issue on this plant during the winter months, but it does not seem bad enough to bother the plant. This is pretty easy plant to grow...only that it take long long time to flower...Just in case, if you run out of patient of your Stephanotis, I can send your some cuttings.

    How long does it take for Mandevilla Laxa to flower from seed?

  • olympia_gardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Still waiting, but not too long...

  • fenius
    11 years ago

    You will love the fragrance Olympia!!
    I don't know about mandevilla yet mine is tiny- about 10cm

    But my plumeria bloomed today!!

  • kemistry
    11 years ago

    That's so pretty olympia_gardener! Congratulation on your success! :)

  • olympia_gardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks, Kemistry. The plant has more patient than I do. All I can say is "finally".

    BTW I am going to send you an e-mail for some cutting that you mentioned while back.

  • kemistry
    11 years ago

    Olympia_gardener, tell us more about its fragrance when the flowers open. I ran across a blooming Stephanotis last year but couldn't detect any fragrance from it - i think i needed to be there at a certain time of the day or something -.

    (Yes, send me an email! :) )

  • olympia_gardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi, Kemistry. The flowers opened this morning.finally! It smells like Jasmine sambac but not as strong. very pleasant, not over powering frangrant,( only few open so the scent may be weak now, but it has a LOT of flower buds. can image when they all open, my sense may change). just like a bride, pure, sweet... worth waiting for .

  • Dar Sunset Zone 18
    11 years ago

    Olympia, that is interesting how you describe it as smelling like jasmine sambac. I smelled it a couple of years ago at a big box nursery and it reminded me of the scent of hyacinths.

  • olympia_gardener
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Musaboru, Not hyacinths to me. Hyacinths is too strong, over power scent. I wish it can be stronger so my nose does not have to work harder to smell it. But it has very pleasant smell, can't pin down exactly which flower its smell more closer to, but at this moment, I would say jasmine. However, It just bloomed this morning. Maybe, the scent will be getting stronger at night. It may smell a little differently then.

  • kemistry
    11 years ago

    That's beautiful! :)

    Speaking of smelling like a sambac, last week I sniffed a fragrant Hosta (Hosta 'fragrant bouquet') at my local nursery and the scent of it did remind me of a sambac. I thought that was interesting.

  • Dar Sunset Zone 18
    11 years ago

    I came across this variegated one at a big box store, the price was right but I couldnt take it home it since it was so large (it was in a 5gal and staked!).