GardenBanter.co.uk - Why doesn't my Spindle bush have berries?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Hogg (Post 1021925)

On Wed, 24 Aug 2016 16:09:06 +0200, gadwall
wrote:

Hi - I'm a newbie living in Hertfordshire. A medium sized garden mostly
lawn with a few trees.

My partner struck two spindle bushes with cuttings from a local field.
This was about twenty years ago and although they grow very well, and
have very small creamy colour flowers, berries are almost absent. I say
almost because every few years there will be one, maybe two, berries.

Is there something we can do to encourage berries?

Many thanks
gadwall

AIUI they should be self-fertile, insect pollinated, mostly by flies I
believe, so should berry-up OK. Shortage of insects? Seems unlikely.
Birds get the berries before they become obvious? Possible, I suppose.
Situation and care, i.e. cold winds or frosts damaging the berries
just after they've set, or dryness at the roots stopping them
developing? Only you will know. Is the parent plant still accessible,
and if so, does it have berries, or have you unluckily got a sterile
variety.

Apparently, you are not alone: Spindle Tree - gardening forum | gardenersworld.com

Perhaps some general fertiliser and a good mulch with compost or
whatever, in early spring, to encourage them.

--

Chris

Gardening in West Cornwall overlooking the sea.
Mild, but very exposed to salt gales

Thank you very much Chris that makes interesting reading. I will certainly try the compost mulch in early spring and watch out for insects. The bushes are against a wall, so maybe the insects are missing them.

Best wishes
gadwall