Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Lavender Twist Redbud, Covey Redbud (Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist').
More about cercis canadensis 'lavender twist'
About Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist'
Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' · also called Lavender Twist Redbud, Covey Redbud · flowering
'Lavender Twist' (sold as Covey) is a weeping eastern redbud with contorted, cascading branches and a compact umbrella form. Lavender-pink spring flowers cloak the bare zigzag stems before heart-shaped leaves appear. A small deciduous specimen tree for full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil, ideal for small gardens and containers.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Verticillium wilt: Soil-borne fungus causing sudden wilting and limb death. No cure; remove affected branches and do not replant redbud in infected soil.
The reasons cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' 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 cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' 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 cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' 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 cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' and get the feeding right with the cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' 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
Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' 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 cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' flower?
Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' 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 cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' bloom?
Give cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' 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 cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' normally bloom?
Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' 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 cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' 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 cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' flowering?
Feeding cercis canadensis 'lavender twist' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Cercis canadensis 'Lavender Twist' 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 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library