Hi,

I live in Adelaide, Australia and it is now nearing the end of summer. The climate here is mediterranean, with cool/supposedly wet winters and hot/dry summers.

I have a 4 yo blood orange in a large pot, which is watered regularly (survived 2 weeks of temperatures well above 100F), has good drainage and is well fertilised. It is located adjacent a west facing fence (trellised) and receives about 8 hours afternoon sun from Spring to Autumn.

The orange has had excellent leaf growth over the past 5 months but no flowers at all!

Any suggestions as to why and how flowers may be encouraged?

BTW, there is a variegated Meyer Lemon next to it which has the same conditions, except I forgot to fertilise it last Spring. Funny, the Meyer has had flowers recently but has dropped all fruit and has had no new leaves at all, since about a year ago! This variegated plant has always had sparse foliage (4 years old now) and during the recent heat wave, it has dropped most of it leaves; it only has 6 left!

What can I do to save this hard to find lemon?

Sincere thanks for your thoughts and suggestions!

Is your blood orange grafted or from seed.
If it is from seed, it is normal that it has not (yet) bloomed.
Next year you can try this. You stop to water it during the dry season until it looks very bad and looses few leaves, then you water and feed it. There is a great chance that it gives a nice bloom.

Also unlike lemons and limes, oranges will usually only flower once a year in the spring. Blooms on oranges will appear only on the new wood, not on the old wood so if you are pruning the tree you may be removing the growth that will produce blooms.

Most variegated plants do not do real well in direct sun. With temps over 100 F it will require quite a bit of water to do well. If it is not getting the required water the plant will drop leaves it can not support. Make sure the drainage is good, keep the soil moist & try keeping it in a partly shaded spot.

The blood orange is grafted. I have another plant of the same cultivar ("Arnold", a local cultivar) several meters away that receives more hours of sunlight but is partially shaded (by a birch and is also under an eave)and in a cooler place but has many fruits!

Have been lazy and have not pruned the orange; have tied a few branches to the trellis only (aiming for informal espallier).

Will turn off watering to the blood orange for now.

Should I move the variegated Meyer to a shadier place?

Sincere thanks for your suggestions!!!

> Will turn off watering to the blood orange for now.
No, it's too late. For you autumn is coming. Now you must wait for next spring.