Town, State?
Have you pruned it and if so when?
Are the soil conditions different than the other fringe trees?
Does it get the same amount of sun?
Any sign of insects that might be getting at the buds?
Was it planted at the same time as the other fringe trees?
Has it grown at the same rate as the other fringe trees?

We’ll start with these questions and see if any of your answers might give me a clue as to a reason.

Just a note: My sister in Mass (wrote to me via this site and had no idea it was me) had a fringe tree that was not blooming much. Turned out her gardener was pruning it late in the fall after next season’s buds had formed. Hence he was kind of making sure it would not bloom. I cut the old blooms off after they die off completely.

Follow up:

I get your passion. Any tree or plant is worth saving and obsessing over. I do it all the time. My fringe tree comes from a grower in Vermont. They’ve been growing them for 40 years. What I’ve learned about fringe trees I learned from this nursery. I’ve even referred people to them for answers. The people that run the nursery are generational encyclopedias of information. If necessary I can refer you to them, but let’s start here. If I’m not confident about something I’m the first to look for answers elsewhere.

Ok…lets see if any of these things might be the ‘root’ cause.

Do you use a high nitrogen fertilizer near the tree?

Lawn fertilizers are high in nitrogen and will make for a strong root system on the tree (too much will burn), but will limit the flowering. Fertilize with an analysis of 5-30-5, ideal for flower production. Phosphorus is the middle number. Also if you are using a weed killer on your lawn you are jeopardizing your tree too. They contain broadleaf weed killers that could affect the broad leaves of the Fringe Tree.

Poor water supply to the roots could be an issue?

Water using a drip system around the rootball. Your rootball is expanding as the tree gets older. Watering near the trunk is not enough. Puncture the surface outward from the trunk in 6-12″ increments with some sort of pipe with a point that you can drive into the ground down 18″ – 24″ which will create avenues for the drip water system and the (high phosphorus flowering tree fertilizer) to get to the roots. Make the holes in a radial pattern out from the trunk. If the tree is 5′ high go out at least 3 feet. There is some formula for determining the root system of a tree. I think it has something more to do with the height and width of the tree. I like to water out at least the width of the tree crown and then some especially in a well established tree. New trees take 3-5 years to really establish an expanded roots system so keep that in mind.

Since you didn’t tell me exactly where you are I am going to assume from the fact that you told me that fringe trees are more or less naturalized in your area that north and south is not going to be a factor. Enough sun will be a factor. Probably at least 5 hours a day is a good number to work with. Rally sounds like that is not the issue.

Fertilizer, Water and Excessive pruning at the wrong time are probably the big 3.

Let’s start here and see if you get some better flowering. Your buds should be well formed. Does it look like there are a lot of them on the tree? Fertilize like I mentioned and see if that doesn’t bring on the bloom. Don’t forget to aerate the area around the tree so the fertilizer gets into the soil along with the water. Look for a liquid fertilizer. It will give you the speediest results. Follow directions carefully when fertilizing.

Hope all this helps.
Steve… send me a picture of your fringe trees ok? before they bloom and after. I’d really appreciate it.

2nd email:

Thanks for answering. Yes actually I got my fringe trees at the same time.Actually me and a friend dug our trees out of the woods. what a job but we loved it.This tree is native here but hard to find but the paper mills had dozed it down and several come up from the downed tree.all were put in the ground and bloomed some the next year. They’re very hardy. This one treebloomed good but this year and last year the only blooms were very sparce. I’ve already questioned my husband about the pruning and denied it.lol do you think fertilizing would help it?One thing this tree faced the south and the other ones are on the north side.But its bloomed before.You probably think I;m nuts to worry over one little tree but I love trees and flowers and my best days are digging in the dirt.