On Fri, 06 Jun 2003 01:05:11 GMT, Pam wrote:



"mcameron, bill" wrote:

well

you may well be an expert on the plants

but these plants in seattle must have developed into a unique sub
group

the neighbor has a balcony not 15 feet from the plant overlooking it
and in the 3 years it has been there has never seen a flower stalk

i have cut grass, weeds, roses, these plants
for the last 10+ years and never observed anything other than
leaves

so ....................assuming that all the other plants flower each
year, why haven't these 3 and/or what prompted them to do so this
year?

You have provided the missing ingredient in your quest - the location! It
seldom gets hot enough here for phormiums to set flower buds. This past
winter was so mild, that must have been part of the impetus for these
plants to bloom. FWIW, mine, which is at least 10 years old and massive,
has never produced flowers and still shows no sign of doing so as it is
now in a partial shade location. Full sun plants may very well bloom this
season in Seattle, although it is never a sure thing. Our specimen plant
at the nursery has also produced flower stalks for the first time in its
history. Fertilizing should have little or nothing to do with it - it is
totally a function of heat (or lack of it).

pam - gardengal

thanks, seattle it be, and it was a mild winter and it is hot now

and it is so pleasant to hear an expert that can see through a
situation and is not fixated on their rightness and can offer another
explaination other than the writer's lack of observation

bill