I live in Adelaide and have a 4 yo blood orange in a large pot, which is watered regularly (survived 2 weeks of temperatures well above 100F), has good drainage and is well fertilised. It is located adjacent a east facing fence (trellised) and receives about six hours afternoon sun from Spring to Autumn.

The orange has had excellent leaf growth over the past 5 months but no flowers at all!

Any suggestions as to why and how flowers may be encouraged?

BTW, there is a variegated Meyer Lemon next to it which has the same conditions, except I forgot to fertilise it last Spring. Funny, the Meyer has had flowers recently but has dropped all fruit and has had no new leaves at all, since about a year ago! This variegated plant has always had sparse foliage (4 years old now) and during the recent heat wave, it has dropped most of it leaves; it only has 6 left!

What can I do to save this hard to find lemon?

Sincere thanks for your thoughts and suggestions!

waht sized pots are they in and how long have they been in them? i see you say large just wondering what large means?

to me it sounds like they aren't happy where they are to say the least, so it could mean the potting mix is depleted, and maybe fertiliser won't fix it? over fertilising could make the issue worse.

where the trees bought as dwarf or mini varieties suited for potted plants?

len

Many thanks for your response.

The pots are actually rectangular troughs, 1.2m long x 0.5m wide and 0.6m tall. So called premium potting mix has been used.

The Meyer and Arnold blood orange have been in the troughs for 12 months or so.

I have 7 other citruses (including another Arnold blood orange) in smaller pots which are doing very well; these have been fertilised and watered similarly but receive a little more sun (on part of the plants at least) being situated next to a north facing wall, under an eave.

I do not know the root stocks though none of the plants were bought from the dwarf section; when I have asked, nurseries usually say that the root stocks are semi-dwarf.

Sincere thanks!!