Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Cerise Queen yarrow (Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen').

More about achillea millefolium 'cerise queen'

About Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen'

Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen' · also called Cerise Queen yarrow · flowering

A vivid common-yarrow selection bearing flat heads of cerise-pink flowers with pale centers above ferny, aromatic green foliage all summer. 'Cerise Queen' is tough, drought-tolerant, and pollinator-friendly, spreading readily to fill sunny borders and wildflower plantings. Flowers fade with age, giving a multi-toned look, and dry well for arrangements.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Flopping stems: Shade, wet, or fertile soil make stems lax; grow lean and sunny, and shear after the first flush for sturdier rebloom.

The reasons achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' to flower

Maximise sun. Give achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' and get the feeding right with the achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' flower?

Achillea millefolium 'Cerise Queen' blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' bloom?

Give achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does achillea millefolium 'cerise queen' normally bloom?