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jennisue_gw

Triloba troubles

jennisue
15 years ago

For my first time ever planting/gardening - just over a year ago - I planted several triloba seeds and got 3 wonderful sprouts. Today they stand over 8 feet tall in a 10 gallon pot, beautifully engulfing my front porch. They have a northern exposure. They get several hours of afternoon sun. I've never pruned them and most of their watering is rain. I fertilize them once every three months. They grow faster than anything I've ever seen. But I have yet to see any blooms. When can I expect to get some? I'm so anxious for this vine to flower!!!!!!

Just recently some of the older leaves have started to turn a yellowish (too much water? we've had several days of heavy rain). And Some newer leaves have started to turn a reddish underneath. I've also noticed several leaves are starting to be eaten. I can't seem to locate any catterpillars or snails. This has been the healthiest plant until now. Nothing seemed to bother it

I am terrified of loosing this plant to pests! I grew it from seeds (what seems like forever ago) and this plant is like my baby! What should I be looking for? And what should I do about what I find?

Comments (9)

  • passioncrazy
    15 years ago

    hey jennisue...ok im no expert at all but i have experience with triloba in south florida...maybe i can help...firstly the leaves turning yellow is just par for the course...as your baby gets older the leaves will just die back ...no biggie on that i hope im rite anybody please correct me....with regards to the flowering i planted seeds as well and got one little seedling...was unidentified for a while but as soon as i felt the soft stem and saw the leaves knew what it was...ive heard that trilobas dont really like to much fertilizer.mine bloomed like in 5 months from seedling to open flower,,,no fertilizer...ive only now just given her for the first time.mine doesnt get alot of sun maybe 3 at midday and 1 late afternoon and its getting blooms every leaf...what id recomend is try cutting it back a bit...new groth usually means new blooms...that cold snap we had killed a few blooms and stopped mine from blooming for a few days but getting back to normal.about been eaten gulf frit likes triloba so becareful...mines only like 20 feet long so still easy to look for catepillars i just relocate to my insence...triloba love water as well ...hard to over water as long as your pot is well drained...also keep an eye out for snails...have heard they have been know to like triloba to ..the worst diesease to get is scales so beware of that as well...systemic will take care of that.
    i hope i have been helpful be glad to answer any more questions...and i apoligize if any of the info is incorect...im still learning like most of us in this world...isnt south florida amazing

  • jennisue
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the info passioncrazy! I'll try cutting it back a bit and looking closer for some snails. I know it's not the gulf fritt's thats eating them - they ate my edulis to pieces - and there's definetly none on my triloba.

    But you did say that your bloomed in the first 5 months.... Do you remember what month that was?

    And on another note, initially my trilobas were EXTREMELY slow growing, until I gave them fertilizer. They really seem to grow better with the fertilzer (mine do anyways) But never a blooming flower.......what am I doing wrong?

  • karyn1
    15 years ago

    I'm in 7a so I have a much shorter season and mine are in the GH from Oct-May. My Triloba vine grows like crazy but flowers late in the season, sometimes after it's in the GH for the winter. I fertilize my passies infrequently but I do give them some extra potassium by way of chopped banana peels dug into the soil.

  • passionflow
    15 years ago

    Hi Jennisue
    The bad news is that some Passiflora grown from seed never flower. The good news is that some plants tend to flower in the second year rather then the first. It costs a lot more but I always recommend buying Passiflora species and indeed hybrids from reputable nurseries as you know that they can flower. I would recommend that you do not cut the plant back - the time to cut them back is when growth has resumed in Spring next year. Also keep the plant dry rather than wet or it may rot over winter. If no flowers next year rip them up and buy a plant.
    Myles

    Here is a link that might be useful: Passiflora flowering

  • passioncrazy
    15 years ago

    Hi there to Jennisue and Mr Irvine...
    id like to apoligize if i gave out the incorrect info.just sharing my experience down here in florida...ive battled to get triloba to grow...ive gone through 2 from logees...then finaly i got seeds from butterfly world and after like 3 months got one spout...thats was in april...in may i had to go away and when i came back it was almost three feet long...very good root system..i think i was gone for like 9 weeks...anyway october 12th i got my first bloom {{gwi:1135288}}so like 6 months i was shocked ...quickest for me yet and ive got alot of seeds growing....im hope any of my info doesnt damage your baby it was just sucessful with mine but you should listen to passionflow...he knows whats best...im still learning everyday just like us all...i have another larger one thats growing slowewr than the one from seed ...also from buttterfly world took a while to adapt but puts out beautiful blooms after patiently waiting for a while
    {{gwi:1135289}} well hope all goes well please let us know what happens...

  • passionflow
    15 years ago

    Passioncrazy
    no need to apologise at all! We are all hear to learn and share info. Also of course my posts are based on growing plants in UK - it may well be than in Florida you can cut them back anytime without a problem.
    Myles

  • jennisue
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks eveybody! You guys have been extremely helpful! I guess I'll just continue to be patient and see if next year brings me any blooms. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
    I also bought my seeds at butterfly world and I hope that at least one of my 3 vines blooms. It's still growing like crazy and whatever was eating it has since stopped.

    But does anyone know what the appearance of the rust coloring on the underside of the leaves could be?

  • passioncrazy
    15 years ago

    hey jennisue dunno if you will get this but just wondering how it went with your triloba troubles...?let us know

  • jennisue
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    hey passion crazy,

    I havent been on here in a while, so sorry it took me so long to return to your message.
    My triloba troubles still seem to be the same. Still no blooms :( Some of the plant seems to be flourishing , while some of it seems to be very unhappy. Possibly being eaten or dying...I really can't tell. I have alot of leaves with a reddish tinge, and others where the leaves are curling under. But most of it is still growing like crazy with beautiful trilobed leaves. I gave it some more trellis area to grown on and am still hoping for some blooms sometime soon. My husband seems distressed that it still has no flowers and threatens to cut it down if we don't see blooms soon (he wouldn't really. He just wants to seem them too!) But trust me, I'll post a picture if , and when it blooms!
    Thanks for the follow up passion crazy!

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