Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae, Golden Biota, Dwarf Golden Thuja, Golden Oriental Thuja (Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea Nana').
More about dwarf golden oriental arborvitae
About Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae
Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea Nana' · also called Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae, Golden Biota · flowering
Platycladus orientalis 'Aurea Nana' is a slow-growing, egg-shaped dwarf conifer with flat, vertical sprays of bright golden-yellow foliage, native in origin to north-western China and Korea. It is a stalwart of UK and US rock gardens and container plantings, prized for its consistent golden colour year-round in good light. The single most important care requirement is well-drained soil, as prolonged wet conditions lead to rapid root rot and browning. Platycladus orientalis is listed by the ASPCA as toxic to cats and dogs.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons dwarf golden oriental arborvitae isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming dwarf golden oriental arborvitae 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 dwarf golden oriental arborvitae 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 dwarf golden oriental arborvitae to flower
- Maximise sun. Give dwarf golden oriental arborvitae 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 dwarf golden oriental arborvitae and get the feeding right with the dwarf golden oriental arborvitae 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
Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae 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 dwarf golden oriental arborvitae care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my dwarf golden oriental arborvitae flower?
Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae 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 dwarf golden oriental arborvitae bloom?
Give dwarf golden oriental arborvitae 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 dwarf golden oriental arborvitae normally bloom?
Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with dwarf golden oriental arborvitae after it flowers?
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.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping dwarf golden oriental arborvitae flowering?
Feeding dwarf golden oriental arborvitae a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Dwarf Golden Oriental Arborvitae fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library