Rhododendron Flowering in the Fall

Member	Message
GardenOttawa Joined: 9/27/2009 Location: ottawa Posts: 1	Posted: Sep/27/2009 6:18 AM PST Hi All I live in Ottawa Canada and have planted a Rhododendron. It is the second one in the same location, first one lasted around 7 or 8 years. It was flowering when I planted it in the Spring but formed buds again in the fall. Then the following Spring the buds did not produce flowers ,new growth grew and now it is the fall and it is forming buds again. Should I prune the buds now or later into the winter or at all? Thanks GardenOttawa Quote \| Reply \| Report

ga_girl Joined: 8/02/2008 Location: Georgia Posts: 494	Posted: Sep/28/2009 3:35 AM PST Rhododendrons produce fairly large leaf buds and some people mistake those for flower buds. The bloom buds are much larger. Whether that is what happened or not, don't prune anything now - all rhododendrons need time to form buds and they would not have time to recover and do so before spring. Quote \| Reply \| Report

poeticpeony Joined: 4/04/2006 Location: NE Ohio, deck chuckin' fool Posts: 9232 Moderator	Posted: Oct/05/2009 3:51 PM PST I think they're like azaleas and the flower buds form before winter for the following year. I wouldn't prune until it flowers next year if it does. If it doesn't maybe the soil needs a little amendment. They do like acid soil. I'm surprised your other one didn't last longer than that. They seem to go on forever unless you removed it for some other reason other than natural causes. Quote \| Reply \| Report

Member

Message

GardenOttawa
Joined: 9/27/2009
Location: ottawa
Posts: 1

Posted: Sep/27/2009 6:18 AM PST

Hi All

I live in Ottawa Canada and have planted a Rhododendron. It is the second one in the same location, first one lasted around 7 or 8 years.
It was flowering when I planted it in the Spring but formed buds again in the fall.

Then the following Spring the buds did not produce flowers ,new growth grew and now it is the fall and it is forming buds again.
Should I prune the buds now or later into the winter or at all?

Thanks GardenOttawa

Quote | Reply | Report

ga_girl

Joined: 8/02/2008
Location: Georgia
Posts: 494

Posted: Sep/28/2009 3:35 AM PST

Rhododendrons produce fairly large leaf buds and some people mistake those for flower buds. The bloom buds are much larger.

Whether that is what happened or not, don't prune anything now - all rhododendrons need time to form buds and they would not have time to recover and do so before spring.

Quote | Reply | Report

poeticpeony

Joined: 4/04/2006
Location: NE Ohio, deck chuckin' fool
Posts: 9232
Moderator

Posted: Oct/05/2009 3:51 PM PST

I think they're like azaleas and the flower buds form before winter for the following year. I wouldn't prune until it flowers next year if it does. If it doesn't maybe the soil needs a little amendment. They do like acid soil. I'm surprised your other one didn't last longer than that. They seem to go on forever unless you removed it for some other reason other than natural causes.

Quote | Reply | Report

All
Articles
Videos
Plants

About Us
Privacy Policy^†
Terms of Use^†
Contact Garden Guides^†
Site Map

† Requires Javascript