Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Fanal astilbe bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Fanal astilbe, Fanal false spirea (Astilbe x arendsii 'Fanal').

More about fanal astilbe

About Fanal astilbe

Astilbe x arendsii 'Fanal' · also called Fanal astilbe, Fanal false spirea · flowering

Astilbe x arendsii 'Fanal' is one of the most celebrated astilbe cultivars, bearing intensely deep crimson-red plumes in early to midsummer — among the darkest reds in the genus. Its dark bronze-green foliage provides a striking backdrop. 'Fanal' is compact relative to the hybrid group, making it ideal for border edging, containers, and shady streamside plantings.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Bleached or papery flowers: Excessive sun and dry conditions cause the deep crimson plumes to bleach to faded pink and then brown within days of opening. Provide afternoon shade and maintain soil moisture throughout flowering.

The reasons fanal astilbe isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming fanal astilbe 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 fanal astilbe 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 fanal astilbe to flower

Maximise sun. Give fanal astilbe 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 fanal astilbe and get the feeding right with the fanal astilbe 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

Fanal astilbe 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 fanal astilbe care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Fanal astilbe blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my fanal astilbe flower?

Fanal astilbe 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 fanal astilbe bloom?

Give fanal astilbe 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 fanal astilbe normally bloom?