Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Cotinus obovatus bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called American smoke tree, chittamwood (Cotinus obovatus).

More about cotinus obovatus

About Cotinus obovatus

Cotinus obovatus · also called American smoke tree, chittamwood · flowering

Cotinus obovatus is the American smoke tree, a tough native of rocky US uplands grown chiefly for spectacular autumn colour — leaves turn flaming shades of orange, scarlet and purple. Larger and hardier than its European cousin, it forms a small tree with sparse smoky flower plumes. Plant in full sun on poor, well-drained, even rocky alkaline soil.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons cotinus obovatus isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming cotinus obovatus 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 cotinus obovatus 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 cotinus obovatus to flower

Maximise sun. Give cotinus obovatus 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 cotinus obovatus and get the feeding right with the cotinus obovatus 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

Cotinus obovatus 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 cotinus obovatus care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Cotinus obovatus blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my cotinus obovatus flower?

Cotinus obovatus 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 cotinus obovatus bloom?

Give cotinus obovatus 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 cotinus obovatus normally bloom?