Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Alpine Squill bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Alpine Squill, Two-leaved Squill (Scilla bifolia).

More about alpine squill

About Alpine Squill

Scilla bifolia · also called Alpine Squill, Two-leaved Squill · flowering

Scilla bifolia is a dainty bulbous perennial native to woodland edges, alpine meadows, and rocky hillsides across central Europe, from the Alps to the Caucasus. It is one of the earliest spring bulbs to flower, producing loose racemes of starry, intense gentian-blue flowers (occasionally pink or white) in late winter to early spring before most other plants emerge. It naturalises readily under deciduous trees and in short grass. The RHS awarded it its Award of Garden Merit in 1993. All parts are toxic to cats and dogs due to cardiac glycoside compounds.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons alpine squill isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming alpine squill 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 alpine squill 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 alpine squill to flower

Maximise sun. Give alpine squill 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 alpine squill and get the feeding right with the alpine squill 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

Alpine Squill 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 alpine squill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Alpine Squill blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my alpine squill flower?

Alpine Squill 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 alpine squill bloom?

Give alpine squill 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 alpine squill normally bloom?