Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Chain Fern bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called European Chain Fern, Rooting Chain Fern (Woodwardia radicans).

More about chain fern

About Chain Fern

Woodwardia radicans · also called European Chain Fern, Rooting Chain Fern · flowering

Woodwardia radicans is a large, evergreen chain fern with long, arching, leathery fronds that produce plantlets (bulbils) near their tips, rooting where they touch the ground. Named for the chain-like rows of sori beneath the fronds, it makes a bold, almost tropical statement in sheltered, shady gardens and large cool conservatories.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons chain fern isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming chain fern 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 chain fern 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 chain fern to flower

Maximise sun. Give chain fern 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 chain fern and get the feeding right with the chain fern 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

Chain Fern 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 chain fern care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Chain Fern blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my chain fern flower?

Chain Fern 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 chain fern bloom?

Give chain fern 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 chain fern normally bloom?