Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Crimson and Gold flowering quince (Chaenomeles × superba 'Crimson and Gold').
More about flowering quince 'crimson and gold'
About Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold'
Chaenomeles × superba 'Crimson and Gold' · also called Crimson and Gold flowering quince · flowering
Chaenomeles × superba 'Crimson and Gold' is a low, spreading deciduous shrub bearing deep crimson-red flowers with showy golden anthers in early spring on bare, spiny branches, followed by aromatic yellow-green fruits. Tough and adaptable, it works as a specimen, informal hedge or wall-trained shrub in sun or partial shade.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Reduced bloom after hard spring pruning: It flowers on older wood and spurs; pruning hard in late winter cuts off flower buds. Prune after flowering and shorten side-shoots to spurs.
The reasons flowering quince 'crimson and gold' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming flowering quince 'crimson and gold' 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 flowering quince 'crimson and gold' 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 flowering quince 'crimson and gold' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give flowering quince 'crimson and gold' 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 flowering quince 'crimson and gold' and get the feeding right with the flowering quince 'crimson and gold' 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
Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold' 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 flowering quince 'crimson and gold' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my flowering quince 'crimson and gold' flower?
Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold' 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 flowering quince 'crimson and gold' bloom?
Give flowering quince 'crimson and gold' 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 flowering quince 'crimson and gold' normally bloom?
Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold' 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 flowering quince 'crimson and gold' 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 flowering quince 'crimson and gold' flowering?
Feeding flowering quince 'crimson and gold' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Flowering Quince 'Crimson and Gold' 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 639 bloom guides in the Growli library