I planted a soulangeana (rustica rubra) in 1997 which was a good-sized
balled-and-burlapped number which failed to bloom for six years. (We moved
away from that house in 1999 without ever seeing a bloom). However, it grew
very well. Finally the past two years it has begun to bloom, with quite
beautiful large blossoms. It is now about 10 feet tall with nearly the same
spread. It was not a case of winter-damaged buds, because the flower buds
develop in the fall, and they were never present in those earlier years.
However, I'm grateful I'm not living there, because the blooms appear much
lighter pink than I had envisioned. I have been searching for a long time
for a beautiful large tree-sized cultivar I passed regularly in Tallahassee,
Florida, with deep purple buds, which opened deep purple - not pink - like
beautiful purple tulips.
"Pam - gardengal" wrote in message
news:Obrlc.21325$kh4.1239392@attbi_s52...

"Ed Christie" wrote in message
...


We have had a magnolia tree in the ground about 4 years now. It was
about 6 feet high when we planted it, and now it is probably over 8
feet. Every year it gets new growth but no flowers. Is it still too
young? Is there some type of fertizilizer that I should be using to
encourage flowering?

Ed Christie

You don't say where you are located or the type of magnolia, but you
should
be aware that some forms of early blooming magnolias can have their
blossoms
damaged by late frosts. And as the other poster stated, some species can
take a considerable time to reach flowering maturity, however many of the
more popular, commonly sold species (x soulangiana, x loebneri, stellata)
will flower at a very young age. They also tend to be the ones most often
affected by cold damage to flower buds.

pam - gardengal