Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Fiddle-leaf Pelargonium bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Fiddle-leaf Pelargonium, Violin-leaved Pelargonium (Pelargonium panduriforme).

More about fiddle-leaf pelargonium

About Fiddle-leaf Pelargonium

Pelargonium panduriforme · also called Fiddle-leaf Pelargonium, Violin-leaved Pelargonium · flowering

Pelargonium panduriforme is a species pelargonium from the arid scrub and rocky slopes of South Africa's Eastern Cape, named for its distinctive fiddle- or violin-shaped (panduriform) leaves, which are lobed to create the characteristic waisted outline. It produces salmon-pink to pale pink flowers with darker veining in spring and summer on erect stems. As a dryland species it demands sharply drained compost, a sunny position, and a relatively dry winter rest; it is suited to a frost-free conservatory or windowsill in the UK. Toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons fiddle-leaf pelargonium isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming fiddle-leaf pelargonium 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 fiddle-leaf pelargonium 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 fiddle-leaf pelargonium to flower

Maximise sun. Give fiddle-leaf pelargonium 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 fiddle-leaf pelargonium and get the feeding right with the fiddle-leaf pelargonium 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

Fiddle-leaf Pelargonium 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 fiddle-leaf pelargonium care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Fiddle-leaf Pelargonium blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my fiddle-leaf pelargonium flower?

Fiddle-leaf Pelargonium 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 fiddle-leaf pelargonium bloom?

Give fiddle-leaf pelargonium 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 fiddle-leaf pelargonium normally bloom?