Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Greater Quaking Grass bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called greater quaking grass, big quaking grass, rattlesnake grass (Briza maxima).

More about greater quaking grass

About Greater Quaking Grass

Briza maxima · also called greater quaking grass, big quaking grass · flowering

Greater quaking grass (Briza maxima) is a self-seeding cool-season annual prized for nodding, locket-shaped spikelets that shimmer and rattle in the breeze. Grown in full sun on lean, well-drained soil, it forms a loose tuft of fine green blades topped by airy panicles that ripen from green to straw, excellent fresh or dried for arrangements.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons greater quaking grass isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming greater quaking grass 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 greater quaking grass 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 greater quaking grass to flower

Maximise sun. Give greater quaking grass 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 greater quaking grass and get the feeding right with the greater quaking grass 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

Greater Quaking Grass 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 greater quaking grass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Greater Quaking Grass blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my greater quaking grass flower?

Greater Quaking Grass 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 greater quaking grass bloom?

Give greater quaking grass 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 greater quaking grass normally bloom?