Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Subcaulescent cranesbill, Vivid magenta cranesbill (Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens).
More about geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens
About Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens
Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens · also called Subcaulescent cranesbill, Vivid magenta cranesbill · flowering
Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens is a low alpine cranesbill prized for intense, vivid magenta-crimson flowers with a striking near-black centre, carried over grey-green rosettes through summer. Sun-loving and compact, it brings electric colour to rock gardens, troughs, gravel and sharply drained border fronts, flowering longest where drainage is excellent.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Sprawling in shade: Too little sun gives loose, floppy growth with washed-out, sparse flowers. Grow in full sun and keep the soil lean and free-draining.
The reasons geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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 geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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 geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens to flower
- Maximise sun. Give geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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 geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens and get the feeding right with the geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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
Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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 geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens flower?
Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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 geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens bloom?
Give geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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 geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens normally bloom?
Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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 geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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 geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens flowering?
Feeding geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Geranium cinereum var. subcaulescens 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