Crossandras dazzle the landscape with their lush green foliage and salmon-colored blooms all year around. They bless us with so vibrant flowers with so little care that if they don’t bloom it is a matter of great concern. Without blooming, there is no point in growing them.
Inadequate sunlight, temperature, wrong watering, lack of nutrients, and pest problems are the 5 most common reasons why your crossandra is not blooming.
But the good news is, there are many ways to help the crossandras to bloom. And this article will explain the ways and guide you through the whole process. Now that you know the reasons you can easily take some steps and get beautiful firecracker flowers in a short time.
So without making any delay let’s jump right in-
Why is My Crossandra Not Blooming?
1. Not Enough Sunlight
Crossandra is native to India and Sri Lanka. Clearly, this means they need plenty of sunlight to fully grow and bloom. So if your Crossandras are blooming very few or not blooming at all then you need to check how many hours of sunlight they are getting.
Control Measure
Let your crossandra get at least 6-8 hours of sunlight everyday. Observe the hours of sunlight and if this is not enough then it’s time to move your plant pot to a sunnier place.
But if the sunlight is too strong then longer exposure can burn the leaves of your crossandra. This will also cause bud dropping. In this case, let them have morning sunlight and move the pot away from the sun during midday. Again move the pot under the sunlight during the afternoon.
2. Temperature
Heat and humidity are what the crossandras need for blooming. So, it’s very normal for them to become dormant when the temperature is low, especially during winter.
When they get the right temperature they bloom vividly year after year but without the right temperature, they just flower once and then die.
Control Measure
The best temperature for their blooming is 70° to 75° degrees Fahrenheit. This means during summer your crossandra will bloom in plenty.
However, you need to save them from the chilly winter breeze. You can make a barrier and protect them from the chilly wind. Place them near a south-facing window so they can get enough sunlight and heat.
3. Wrong Watering
Watering is one of the techniques to help your plant to make better blooms. They like moist soil but are not waterlogged. So you have to water them correctly in a way that the soil is not very dry. Because dry soil can easily cause the flower buds to drop.
Another important thing is if you water them with too cold water in winter your crossandra can go into shock and stop flowering at all.
Control Measure
Balance is all they need when it comes to watering Because If you water it very less then the plant will wilt and the flowers will drop. And if you water it too much the soil will be waterlogged. This will damage the root and cause other dangerous fungal diseases.
The crossandras will require different amounts of water according to the size and weather condition of your area. In addition, you need to have a good drainage system in the plant pot.
4. Lack of Nutrients
Blooming requires a good number of nutrients. And if the soil lacks the important nutrients then naturally the blooming is heavily affected.
So, one of the reasons why your crossandra are not blooming is, their soil doesn’t have enough nutrients to support the plants’ needs.
Control Measure
It is very important to feed your crossandra in regular intervals. Get the best kind of liquid all-purpose fertilizers and apply them at half strength every two weeks from April to August (our pick: Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food)
You can also lightly fertilize them in December-January if your soil is poor in nutrients. You can try this organic fertilizer given below-
#Recipe 1:- Banana Peel Fertilizer
This is really easy. Just collect some banana peels and fully dry them out under the sun. Then grind the dried peels in a grinder to make them into powder.
Then store the powdered homemade fertilizer in an airtight box and mix a spoonful into the soil occasionally to give your crossandras a boost of nutrients.
5. Pest Problems
Aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, and mealybugs are very common pests of crossandra. These pests suck the cell sap out of the leaves and make the plant weak and vulnerable. As a result, the plant becomes poor in nutrition and fails to bloom.
If you look at the underside of the leaves you may find aphids and mealybugs. Though they are very minute, they live in clusters so you will be able to see them. Since whiteflies fly from plant to plant and so does the spider mite by making small webbings, it’s a little hard to find them on spot.
Control Measure
All these insects are sucking-type insects so you need to use a very good systemic pesticide to kill them efficiently. (our pick: Bonide Systemic House Plant Insect Control Granules)
If you find their eggs on the underside of the leaves use a cotton swab and dip it in rubbing alcohol and remove the eggs with the cotton swab.
You can treat the plant and also prevent its attack by using neem oil and insecticidal soap. The recipes are given below:-
#Recipe 1:-Insecticidal Soap Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap
Steps:
- Mix oil and liquid soap and store it in a bottle or container
- Add 1 tablespoon of this mixture with every liter of water and spray on both sides of the leaves twice every week
#Recipe 2:- Neem Oil Recipe
Ingredients:
- 30 ml of neem oil
- 2 liters of water
Steps:
- Mix water and neem oil and spray on both sides of the leaves up to twice every week.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
Q. Is crossandra a perennial?
They can be annual or perennial depending on the temperature. If the temperature is above 55 degrees Fahrenheit then the crossandra can live as a perennial.
Q.How do you make a crossandra bloom?
Plant them in spring and give them the right light and water. Prevent them from pest and disease attacks.
Q.How long does it take to bloom?
A newly planted crossandra will bloom in about 7- 8 months.
Q. Does crossandra come back every year?
Crossandra blooms year round in frost free areas and is grown as an evergreen perennial plant.
Conclusion
Crossandra plants are tropical ones that easily survive in heat and humidity and bloom abundantly. But sometimes it will seem like they are not blooming at all. This is when your intervention is needed.
Get them the right temperature and plenty of sunlight and water them rightly. With just a bit of care and precautions your crossandra will keep blooming for a very long time.
I hope this article provided you with enough information and got your crossandras to bloom year round.