Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Caryopteris incana bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called common bluebeard, blue spirea, Chinese bluebeard (Caryopteris incana).
More about caryopteris incana
About Caryopteris incana
Caryopteris incana · also called common bluebeard, blue spirea · flowering
Caryopteris incana is the common bluebeard, a softly hairy deciduous shrub from East Asia bearing dense violet-blue flower clusters in late summer and autumn that attract bees and butterflies. It favours full sun and free-draining soil, tolerates drought and lean ground, and is slightly more tender than the clandonensis hybrids, so site it warmly.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons caryopteris incana isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming caryopteris incana 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 caryopteris incana 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 caryopteris incana to flower
- Maximise sun. Give caryopteris incana 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 caryopteris incana and get the feeding right with the caryopteris incana 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
Caryopteris incana 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 caryopteris incana care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Caryopteris incana blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my caryopteris incana flower?
Caryopteris incana 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 caryopteris incana bloom?
Give caryopteris incana 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 caryopteris incana normally bloom?
Caryopteris incana 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 caryopteris incana 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 caryopteris incana flowering?
Feeding caryopteris incana a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Caryopteris incana care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Caryopteris incana light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Caryopteris incana 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 1410 bloom guides in the Growli library