Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Hairy Coreopsis bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Hairy Coreopsis, Star Tickseed (Coreopsis pubescens).
More about hairy coreopsis
About Hairy Coreopsis
Coreopsis pubescens · also called Hairy Coreopsis, Star Tickseed · flowering
Hairy Coreopsis is a native perennial wildflower of the southeastern US, named for the fine soft hairs covering its stems and leaves. It produces cheerful golden-yellow daisy flowers on branching stems from mid-summer to early autumn. Well adapted to dry, open woodlands and rocky soils, it tolerates heat and humidity better than many coreopsis species.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons hairy coreopsis isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming hairy coreopsis 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 hairy coreopsis 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 hairy coreopsis to flower
- Maximise sun. Give hairy coreopsis 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 hairy coreopsis and get the feeding right with the hairy coreopsis 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
Hairy Coreopsis 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 hairy coreopsis care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Hairy Coreopsis blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my hairy coreopsis flower?
Hairy Coreopsis 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 hairy coreopsis bloom?
Give hairy coreopsis 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 hairy coreopsis normally bloom?
Hairy Coreopsis 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 hairy coreopsis 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 hairy coreopsis flowering?
Feeding hairy coreopsis a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Hairy Coreopsis care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Hairy Coreopsis light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Hairy Coreopsis 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 2566 bloom guides in the Growli library