Question
Hello,

about my S. Flavas flower, on the stem for the flower theres a big brown spot that every day gets bigger but it hasn't flowered yet and i afraid its gonna die before it has seed.
please help me!

Thanks,
Sammy

Answer
Hi Sammy,

Depending on your climate, your flower stalk will bloom when the weather is warm.  At our nursery, none of our flava flowers have opened up yet, while our customers in southern states who purchased a flava from us in early spring already have flowers.  So it's not unusual if your plant hasn't bloomed yet if you live in zone 8 or colder.

I'm not sure what that brown spot is on your flower stalk.  It could either be frost damage or insect damage.  Sometimes a late frost will occur and nick some of the new tender growth.  It doesn't harm the health of the plant, but it does set it back.  Insects will also raise havoc on new growth, and it's something we watch very carefully for at our nursery.

Be aware that seed pods don't ripen until early fall, so even with a healthy flower stalk in spring, the plant has to withstand other weather phenomena, such as hail and high winds, which can potentially damage flower stalks throughout the summer months.

Once the damage occurs, it's simply a waiting game to see weather or not the stalk will bloom and set seeds.  There's nothing you can do right now to undo the damage.  Sometimes plants recover from it, other times they don't, depending on the severity of the damage.  So give it some time, especially if you live in a cooler climate.

Good growing!
Jacob Farin