Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Broad-Leaved Lime bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Broad-Leaved Lime, Large-Leaved Linden, Bigleaf Linden (Tilia platyphyllos).

More about broad-leaved lime

About Broad-Leaved Lime

Tilia platyphyllos · also called Broad-Leaved Lime, Large-Leaved Linden · flowering

A fast-growing, broadly columnar European native that can reach 40 m, bearing large asymmetric heart-shaped leaves and pendulous clusters of fragrant pale-yellow flowers in midsummer. Suited to large gardens and parks. Tolerates hard pruning and a range of soils, but is prone to aphid infestation and basal suckering.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons broad-leaved lime isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming broad-leaved lime 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 broad-leaved lime 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 broad-leaved lime to flower

Maximise sun. Give broad-leaved lime 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 broad-leaved lime and get the feeding right with the broad-leaved lime 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

Broad-Leaved Lime 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 broad-leaved lime care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Broad-Leaved Lime blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my broad-leaved lime flower?

Broad-Leaved Lime 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 broad-leaved lime bloom?

Give broad-leaved lime 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 broad-leaved lime normally bloom?