Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Auricula, Bear's ear, Mountain cowslip (Primula auricula).

More about auricula

About Auricula

Primula auricula · also called Auricula, Bear's ear · flowering

Primula auricula is an evergreen alpine perennial native to the calcareous mountains of central Europe, from the Alps to the Carpathians, where it grows in rock crevices and limestone cliff faces. In cultivation it is prized for its rounded, fleshy, mealy leaves and richly fragrant, salverform flowers in yellow, purple, red, and cream, appearing in mid-spring. The most important care fact is to protect the rosette from winter wet, which rots the crown — pot-grown auriculas are best moved under glass or into a cold frame from autumn to early spring. This species is toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Grey mould (Botrytis cinerea): Affects leaves and flower stems in damp, still conditions; remove dead material promptly and improve air circulation, especially when overwintering under glass.

The reasons auricula isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming auricula 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 auricula 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 auricula to flower

Maximise sun. Give auricula 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 auricula and get the feeding right with the auricula 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

Auricula 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 auricula care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Auricula blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my auricula flower?

Auricula 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 auricula bloom?

Give auricula 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 auricula normally bloom?