Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Fujian Cypress, Fokienia (Fokienia hodginsii).

More about fujian cypress

About Fujian Cypress

Fokienia hodginsii · also called Fujian Cypress, Fokienia · flowering

Fokienia hodginsii is a rare, slow-growing conifer from southeastern China and Vietnam, prized for its flat, scale-like foliage and aromatic, reddish-brown timber. Outdoors it suits mild, humid climates in sheltered positions with moist, well-drained acidic soil. As a specimen tree or large container plant it requires patience — growth is modest even in ideal conditions.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons fujian cypress isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming fujian cypress 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 fujian cypress 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 fujian cypress to flower

Maximise sun. Give fujian cypress 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 fujian cypress and get the feeding right with the fujian cypress 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

Fujian Cypress 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 fujian cypress care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Fujian Cypress blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my fujian cypress flower?

Fujian Cypress 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 fujian cypress bloom?

Give fujian cypress 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 fujian cypress normally bloom?