Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Freesia, Common freesia, Cape lily, Fragrant freesia (Freesia spp. (incl. Freesia corymbosa, Freesia × hybrida)).

More about freesia

About Freesia

Freesia spp. (incl. Freesia corymbosa, Freesia × hybrida) · also called Freesia, Common freesia · flowering

Freesia is a fragrant, cormous perennial in the iris family, grown forced indoors or in beds for its scented, trumpet-shaped spring blooms. It loves cool, bright, airy conditions and free-draining soil. ASPCA editorial guidance lists freesia as non-toxic to cats and dogs, though ingestion may cause mild stomach upset; verify with your vet.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Blind shoots (leaves but no flowers): Usually caused by too much warmth (over about 21°C/70°F) during growth, too little light, or excess nitrogen, all of which favour foliage over blooms.

The reasons freesia isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming freesia 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 freesia 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 freesia to flower

Maximise sun. Give freesia 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 freesia and get the feeding right with the freesia 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

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

Freesia blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my freesia flower?

Freesia 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 freesia bloom?

Give freesia 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 freesia normally bloom?