Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Dragon Heart Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Dragon Heart Cranesbill, Dragon Heart Geranium (Geranium 'Dragon Heart').

More about dragon heart cranesbill

About Dragon Heart Cranesbill

Geranium 'Dragon Heart' · also called Dragon Heart Cranesbill, Dragon Heart Geranium · flowering

Geranium 'Dragon Heart' (PBR, sold as 'Bremdra') is a G. psilostemon × G. procurrens hybrid bred by Alan Bremner of Orkney, producing a generous abundance of large, 4 cm-wide magenta flowers with a striking black centre and dark veining from June through to September. The spreading, trailing mounds of deeply lobed mid-green foliage are vigorous and easy to grow, and the plant holds the RHS AGM. The most important care fact is to give it adequate space and cut back lightly after the first flush to encourage continued blooming. ASPCA's 'Geranium' toxic listing refers to Pelargonium; true cranesbills are not confirmed non-toxic by ASPCA, so treat with caution around pets.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons dragon heart cranesbill isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming dragon heart 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 dragon heart 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 dragon heart cranesbill to flower

Maximise sun. Give dragon heart 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 dragon heart cranesbill and get the feeding right with the dragon heart 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

Dragon Heart 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 dragon heart cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Dragon Heart Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my dragon heart cranesbill flower?

Dragon Heart 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 dragon heart cranesbill bloom?

Give dragon heart 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 dragon heart cranesbill normally bloom?