Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Curved-Flower Sage bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Curved-Flower Sage, Tehuacan Sage, Pink Tehuacan Sage (Salvia curviflora).

More about curved-flower sage

About Curved-Flower Sage

Salvia curviflora · also called Curved-Flower Sage, Tehuacan Sage · flowering

Salvia curviflora is a semi-evergreen, upright herbaceous perennial native to the highlands of the Tehuacan Valley in Mexico. It bears long spikes of tubular, velvety fuchsia-pink curved flowers from late summer through autumn, making it a magnet for hummingbirds and pollinators. Plant in full sun to partial shade in moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil; the most important care point is to cut back spent flower spikes promptly to extend the blooming season. The Salvia genus is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA, though ingestion of large amounts may cause mild stomach upset.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons curved-flower sage isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming curved-flower sage 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 curved-flower sage 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 curved-flower sage to flower

Maximise sun. Give curved-flower sage 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 curved-flower sage and get the feeding right with the curved-flower sage 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

Curved-Flower Sage 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 curved-flower sage care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Curved-Flower Sage blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my curved-flower sage flower?

Curved-Flower Sage 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 curved-flower sage bloom?

Give curved-flower sage 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 curved-flower sage normally bloom?