Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Hairy Solomon's Seal bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Hairy Solomon's seal, Downy Solomon's seal (Polygonatum pubescens).

More about hairy solomon's seal

About Hairy Solomon's Seal

Polygonatum pubescens · also called Hairy Solomon's seal, Downy Solomon's seal · flowering

Polygonatum pubescens is a slender native woodland perennial of eastern North America, ranging from Nova Scotia south to Georgia and west to Manitoba and Indiana, growing in rich, shaded forest slopes and ravines. It closely resembles smooth Solomon's seal but is distinguished by short, stiff hairs on the undersides of its leaves, particularly along the veins. Provide consistent moisture in organically rich shade soil and it will slowly spread into a refined ground layer; it is shorter and more delicate than its close relative P. biflorum. All parts contain steroidal saponins and are considered mildly toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons hairy solomon's seal isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming hairy solomon's seal 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 solomon's seal 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 solomon's seal to flower

Maximise sun. Give hairy solomon's seal 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 solomon's seal and get the feeding right with the hairy solomon's seal 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 Solomon's Seal 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 solomon's seal care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Hairy Solomon's Seal blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my hairy solomon's seal flower?

Hairy Solomon's Seal 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 solomon's seal bloom?

Give hairy solomon's seal 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 solomon's seal normally bloom?