Dioon Spinulosum Flush

[Kristen]

My Dioon Spinulosum was looking very ropey and has now flushed - hooray!

Only 3 new fronds, will more follow or is that it? (and a sign that it hasn't been happy recently, and will flush better another year?)

Will it flush next year, or is it more likely to be once-every-several years only?

Should I be feeding it to assist the flushing?

[GaryW]

It's not likely to flush again until next year. It now needs feeding and perfect growing conditions to build up the energy for the next flush. The happier they are the more leaves per flush, and they'll flush more frequently, but not more than once or twice a year reallistically.

[Kristen]

So just to clarify please: all the fronds come at once, not some now and a few more next week?

[kata]

Picture?

[GaryW]

So just to clarify please: all the fronds come at once, not some now and a few more next week?

As seedlings they don't flush as such, leaves grow singly at first then in twos or threes at random times. As they mature they will produce a flush of many leaves all at once and then none for 6-12 months until the next flush. How big is yours as 3 leaves suggests it's still small ?

[Kristen]

How big is yours as 3 leaves suggests it's still small ?

Sorry, not a seedling, I bought it at end of March (I reckon about 10 fronds):

March 2012

[related thread]

but it looked a bit sorry for itself and leaves gradually died off ...

This is how it is now:

July 2012

[Conifers]

Looks in dire need of some serious repotting - remember the roots will want to be as long as / longer than the fronds.

[Kristen]

Looks in dire need of some serious repotting - remember the roots will want to be as long as / longer than the fronds.

Didn't know that, thanks. I potted it to a bit larger than the roots were when it arrived - photo may be a bit deceptive, the pot is 12" deep and 7" dia. I was trying to keep the pot small so that I don't get the rootball too wet.

Can I pot-on as it grows to keep pot in step with the root ball size?

[Conifers]

I'd put it in a considerably larger pot, maybe 20-30 cm deep but 50 cm or more diameter, use a very well-drained gravelly soil mix, and add some companion plants, perhaps cacti or other succulents, to fill round the base; and water fairly sparingly (with a large pot, overwatering is easier to do accidentally).

[Kristen]

Thanks Conifers. I'm fairly pleased it is still alive and has flushed! but to get it properly under way for next year / flush would be a real achievement for me

[Simba]

Fantastic, well done Kristen....

[Kristen]

Thanks Simba, although I'm not really seeing it like that. Yes its alive, which is definitely something! but it arrived with 10 fronds and now has only 3 new ones ... fingers crossed I can do an improving job next year onwards.

Didn't you used to have one ?

[Simba]

It is only to be expected that the older fronds will die off after transportation...but the fact thet you have a new flush means that your Dioon is certainly heading in the right direction...