Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Chinese Judas Tree, China Redbud (Cercis chinensis).

More about chinese redbud

About Chinese Redbud

Cercis chinensis · also called Chinese Judas Tree, China Redbud · flowering

Chinese Redbud is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub or small tree from China producing a spectacular show of vivid rose-purple pea-like flowers directly on bare branches and trunk in spring before the heart-shaped leaves emerge. Suited to sheltered sunny positions in free-draining soil. Toxic to dogs and cats according to ASPCA listings for Cercis.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Frost damage to flower buds: Late spring frosts can destroy the floral display; choose a sheltered wall position and consider fleece protection during sharp cold snaps.

The reasons chinese redbud isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming chinese redbud 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 chinese redbud 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 chinese redbud to flower

Maximise sun. Give chinese redbud 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 chinese redbud and get the feeding right with the chinese redbud 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

Chinese Redbud 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 chinese redbud care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Chinese Redbud blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my chinese redbud flower?

Chinese Redbud 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 chinese redbud bloom?

Give chinese redbud 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 chinese redbud normally bloom?