Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Tiger Stripes Gazania, Striped Treasure Flower (Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes').
More about gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes'
About Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes'
Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' · also called Tiger Stripes Gazania, Striped Treasure Flower · flowering
'Tiger Stripes' is a striking hybrid gazania whose large daisies show bold contrasting stripes radiating from a dark eye across warm-toned rays. A heat- and drought-tolerant tender perennial grown as an annual, it loves baking sun and lean, sharply drained soil, opening vividly by day and closing at dusk. Perfect for hot borders, gravel gardens and containers.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Flowers closing: Blooms open only in bright sun and close in shade, cloud and at night. Plant in the hottest, sunniest spot to enjoy the open striped flowers by day.
The reasons gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' 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 gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' 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 gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' 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 gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' and get the feeding right with the gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' 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
Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' 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 gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' flower?
Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' 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 gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' bloom?
Give gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' 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 gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' normally bloom?
Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' 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 gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' 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 gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' flowering?
Feeding gazania × hybrida 'tiger stripes' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Gazania × hybrida 'Tiger Stripes' 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 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library