Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Crested Phlomis bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Crested phlomis, Hairy phlomis (Phlomis crinita).

More about crested phlomis

About Crested Phlomis

Phlomis crinita · also called Crested phlomis, Hairy phlomis · flowering

Phlomis crinita is a woolly-leaved sub-shrub native to the western Mediterranean, particularly Spain and North Africa, where it grows on dry rocky hillsides and scrubland. It thrives in full sun with sharply drained, low-fertility soil and shows excellent drought tolerance once established. The most important care fact is to avoid any supplemental watering or rich compost — too much moisture rots the crown, especially in winter. The pet-toxicity status is unknown and it is not listed by the ASPCA; treat as mildly toxic as a precaution.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons crested phlomis isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming crested phlomis 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 crested phlomis 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 crested phlomis to flower

Maximise sun. Give crested phlomis 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 crested phlomis and get the feeding right with the crested phlomis 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

Crested Phlomis 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 crested phlomis care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Crested Phlomis blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my crested phlomis flower?

Crested Phlomis 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 crested phlomis bloom?

Give crested phlomis 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 crested phlomis normally bloom?