When your plumeria (also known as frangipani) isn’t blooming, it’s easy to feel frustrated and it's normal. As per my experience growing Plumeria (grown more than 20 plumerias), this is a rare case when your Plumeria is not flowering even after taking all the care. In this article, I will give you the best tips on what to do when Plumeria is not blooming.
If you search on the internet to resolve this no-flowering issue for your plumeria plant, you might get all the tips like sunlight, watering, etc. But no one is going to tell you the cruel truth about the genetic issue. If your plumeria is not blooming with the exact same care that you are taking with your other plumerias then there is a chance that the plant is genetically problematic. In this case, you can't do anything. But this is an extremely rare case, and the chances are like one in a million.
You can see this picture, this is in my backyard and I was taking good care of it. Nice healthy leaves and foliage. But was not getting flowers. Then I gave it 10-30-10 fertilizer and within 15 days I witnessed new flower buds.
Reasons for not Blooming Plumeria and their solutions
I will tell you the major reasons one by one and at the same point I will also explain what to do to fix that.
- Sunlight: Plumeria is a sunlight-loving plant and it needs sunlight to bloom. You can consider placing your plumeria in a place where it can get direct sunlight for at least 6 hours a day.
Tip: For garden-planted plumerias, trim back nearby foliage or structures that may be casting shade. - Incorrect Watering: Never neglect proper watering. If you do not water it properly you can witness healthy green leaves but no blooms or buds at all.
If the soil is too dry it will stress your Plumeria plant and thus it will delay the blooming. I have written a separate article on Watering Plumeria. In that article, you can learn when to water your plumeria exactly and when not. - Improper fertilization: If you think that fertilizer will help your plant grow and bloom, you are wrong if you are giving only nitrogen as a major fertilizer. It will prioritize leaf growth over flower production. (Note that everything is important so if you ignore nitrogen totally you can face Curly leaves on your Plumeria)
Apply a fertilizer that has more phosphorus in ratio.
My tip: Use fertilizer in a 10-30-10 ratio that has more phosphorus. Not only for plumeria, you can encourage blooming for most of the flowering plants with this.
There is a quote: “I always recommend feeding plumeria every 2-3 weeks during their active growing season with a bloom-boosting fertilizer. That’s the secret to profuse flowering!” – David Lee, tropical plant specialist.
If you are living in a cooler climate then grow your plumeria in a pot so that you can bring it inside when it's getting cold outside.
Avoid this pruning mistake:
Pruning too much or too late in the season may cut off potential blooms. So it is best to prune your plant only in early spring before new growth begins.
Tip: I love the plumeria to grow naturally first. Over-pruning young plumerias can delay blooming by several seasons.
How long does it take for a plumeria to bloom
Patience is the key to success. Among my 20 Plumerias, 16 plumerias bloomed in less than a year and for the rest of the Plumerias, I had to wait for almost 2 years. You should wait for at most 3 Years or 3 springs to get blooms.
As I am growing most of my Plumerias in Florida, and the climate is tropical to subtropical it's easier for me to grow Plumeria. If you are growing plumeria in a subtropical or tropical region do not forget to check my special growing and caring guide for Plumeria in Florida.
Whenever I face issues with Plumeria I resolve them and write about them. if you wish you can check those here: Plumeria
Good luck with your Plumeria growing journey. Subscribe to this site to get Plumeria growing tips. It's free!
