Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Downy Rock Jasmine bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Downy rock jasmine, Pubescent androsace (Androsace pubescens).

More about downy rock jasmine

About Downy Rock Jasmine

Androsace pubescens · also called Downy rock jasmine, Pubescent androsace · flowering

Androsace pubescens is a tight cushion-forming alpine perennial native to rocky limestone ledges and screes in the Pyrenees and western Alps, typically at elevations above 2,000 m. It produces compact silvery-haired rosettes smothered in small white flowers with a yellow or pink eye in late spring, and demands exceptional drainage alongside cool conditions to perform well. Being one of the more demanding Androsace species, it is best grown in an alpine house or deep tufa crevice to exclude winter wet. Androsace is not listed by the ASPCA; treat as mildly toxic and keep out of reach of pets as a precaution.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons downy rock jasmine isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming downy rock jasmine 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 downy rock jasmine 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 downy rock jasmine to flower

Maximise sun. Give downy rock jasmine 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 downy rock jasmine and get the feeding right with the downy rock jasmine 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

Downy Rock Jasmine 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 downy rock jasmine care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Downy Rock Jasmine blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my downy rock jasmine flower?

Downy Rock Jasmine 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 downy rock jasmine bloom?

Give downy rock jasmine 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 downy rock jasmine normally bloom?