Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill, Dwarf Cranesbill, Bronze Cranesbill (Geranium sessiliflorum).
More about creeping new zealand cranesbill
About Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill
Geranium sessiliflorum · also called Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill, Dwarf Cranesbill · flowering
Geranium sessiliflorum is a low, mat-forming perennial native to New Zealand and southern South America, grown primarily for its distinctive small, dark bronze-to-black-purple scalloped leaves rather than its tiny white flowers. The popular cultivar subsp. novae-zelandiae 'Nigricans' is the most widely grown form and requires full sun to develop and hold its striking leaf colour. It suits rock gardens, the front of sunny borders, and container edges. True Geranium species are non-toxic to cats and dogs per ASPCA guidance.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons creeping new zealand cranesbill isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming creeping new zealand cranesbill 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 creeping new zealand cranesbill 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 creeping new zealand cranesbill to flower
- Maximise sun. Give creeping new zealand cranesbill 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 creeping new zealand cranesbill and get the feeding right with the creeping new zealand cranesbill 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
Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill 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 creeping new zealand cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my creeping new zealand cranesbill flower?
Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill 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 creeping new zealand cranesbill bloom?
Give creeping new zealand cranesbill 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 creeping new zealand cranesbill normally bloom?
Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill 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 creeping new zealand cranesbill 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 creeping new zealand cranesbill flowering?
Feeding creeping new zealand cranesbill a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Creeping New Zealand Cranesbill 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 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library