Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Asphodel Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Asphodel Cranesbill, Starlight Geranium (Geranium asphodeloides).
More about asphodel cranesbill
About Asphodel Cranesbill
Geranium asphodeloides · also called Asphodel Cranesbill, Starlight Geranium · flowering
Geranium asphodeloides is a leafy perennial native to southern Europe and the Caucasus — from Sicily and Turkey east to the Caucasus and Syria — producing large numbers of delicate pale pink to deep rose flowers with darker veining over a long season from late spring to late summer. It is slightly more tender than most hardy geraniums and benefits from a sheltered position or a dry mulch in colder UK winters. The airy, lax growth habit makes it a graceful companion plant in mixed borders. True Geranium species are non-toxic to cats and dogs per ASPCA guidance.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons asphodel cranesbill isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming asphodel cranesbill 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 asphodel cranesbill 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 asphodel cranesbill to flower
- Maximise sun. Give asphodel cranesbill 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 asphodel cranesbill and get the feeding right with the asphodel cranesbill 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
Asphodel Cranesbill 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 asphodel cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Asphodel Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my asphodel cranesbill flower?
Asphodel Cranesbill 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 asphodel cranesbill bloom?
Give asphodel cranesbill 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 asphodel cranesbill normally bloom?
Asphodel Cranesbill flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with asphodel cranesbill after it flowers?
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.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping asphodel cranesbill flowering?
Feeding asphodel cranesbill a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Asphodel Cranesbill care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Asphodel Cranesbill light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Asphodel Cranesbill fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library