Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Blue Spurflower bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Blue Spurflower, Pouched Spurflower, Stoep Jacaranda (Plectranthus saccatus).
More about blue spurflower
About Blue Spurflower
Plectranthus saccatus · also called Blue Spurflower, Pouched Spurflower · flowering
Plectranthus saccatus is a fast-growing, velvety-stemmed shrubby perennial native to the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa, producing an extended season of showy blue-purple flower spikes that attract pollinators. It has soft, grey-green leaves with purplish undersides and a distinctly shrubby, sprawling habit that can reach impressive sizes in warm gardens. The most important care fact is to pinch and prune regularly throughout the growing season to maintain a compact, bushy plant, as it quickly becomes tall and sprawling without intervention. Not individually listed by ASPCA; treat as mildly toxic based on its aromatic essential oil content.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Leggy, invasive spread: Without regular pinching and an annual hard prune after flowering, plants sprawl aggressively and can crowd out neighbouring plants; pinch growing tips every few weeks during the growing season to maintain a bushy form.
The reasons blue spurflower isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming blue spurflower 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 blue spurflower 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 blue spurflower to flower
- Maximise sun. Give blue spurflower 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 blue spurflower and get the feeding right with the blue spurflower 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
Blue Spurflower 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 blue spurflower care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Blue Spurflower blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my blue spurflower flower?
Blue Spurflower 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 blue spurflower bloom?
Give blue spurflower 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 blue spurflower normally bloom?
Blue Spurflower 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 blue spurflower 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 blue spurflower flowering?
Feeding blue spurflower a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Blue Spurflower care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Blue Spurflower light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Blue Spurflower 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