Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Deodar Cedar 'Karl Fuchs' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Karl Fuchs deodar cedar, cold-hardy deodar (Cedrus deodara 'Karl Fuchs').

More about deodar cedar 'karl fuchs'

About Deodar Cedar 'Karl Fuchs'

Cedrus deodara 'Karl Fuchs' · also called Karl Fuchs deodar cedar, cold-hardy deodar · flowering

'Karl Fuchs' is a cold-hardy deodar cedar selected from high-altitude Afghan seed, combining the graceful weeping branch tips of the species with steely blue needles and far greater winter hardiness. A pyramidal evergreen for full sun and well-drained soil, it brings the elegant deodar form to colder gardens than the standard species tolerates.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' 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 deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' 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 deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' to flower

Maximise sun. Give deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' 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 deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' and get the feeding right with the deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' 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

Deodar Cedar 'Karl Fuchs' 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 deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Deodar Cedar 'Karl Fuchs' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' flower?

Deodar Cedar 'Karl Fuchs' 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 deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' bloom?

Give deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' 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 deodar cedar 'karl fuchs' normally bloom?