Growing Pikake

[marlin]

Aloha, Does anybody have experience growing Pikake? It is currently in a partial shade and is long and spindly and not many flowers. I have transplanted some sucessfully into pots and wondering where they would like to live? Full sun, partial sun, full shade...what up?

marlin

[missydog1]

I'd say yours needs more sun; it can handle full sun to part sun, doesn't care for shade.

I had some behaving the same way, also partial shade.

Pikake is Arabian Jasmine, jasminum sambac, and like other true jasmines I'm familiar with it is a seasonal bloomer, not year round. In this case, summer.

It is a vining shrub, so the long and spindly form is natural unless you prune it, and then if it is seeking sun that will accentuate the long runners I would think.

Also try giving it more phosphorus and less nitrogen if you want more flowers, but I think more sunshine will help the most.

[emorata]

pikaki for me grows in full sun....if you trim it, it will maintain a shrub form and besides you can create more keiki's with the cuttings.....just put them in a shady area with rootone to set and transplant when they have rooted.....nothing nicer than a whole hedge of blooming pikakis to walk or drive through....

[allensylves]

My Thai friend showed me that if you want more flowers, take your hand and strip the leaves off some of the long stems (do not remove the stems themselves). They will then have more flowers than untreated plants.

Allen
Baton Rouge, LA & HPP

[emorata]

thanks for the hints on the flowering, i always have healthy leaves and not as many flowers so that would be something i can try to get more blooms.

[Les C]

I grew up in Honolulu just down the street from the "pikake growing capitol" (or so it seemed) in Waialae. The area is relatively hot and dry. It's an area where you have to water your plants every 2-3 days (impressed upon me my during my recent visit). Ask an airport lei stand person. They may be able to tell you where they buy their flowers from, i.e., where the best growing climate on (or off) the Island is.

[Iju]

I grow mine on the East side of my house and fertilize it once every two weeks. It seems to do the trick.

Val

[mikewj]

Check out this site where you will find a great deal of information regarding Pikake growing:
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/OF-29.pdf