Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Hare's Tail Grass bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Bunny Tail Grass, Hare's Tail, Rabbit Tail Grass (Lagurus ovatus).

More about hare's tail grass

About Hare's Tail Grass

Lagurus ovatus · also called Bunny Tail Grass, Hare's Tail · flowering

Hare's Tail Grass is a charming annual ornamental grass with soft, bristly, oval seed heads that resemble fluffy rabbit tails, turning from pale green to creamy white as they mature. It is a popular choice for dried flower arrangements. The genus Lagurus is not listed by the ASPCA as toxic and is considered pet-safe.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Short lifespan: Lagurus ovatus is an annual or short-lived perennial and declines after flowering. Collect and sow seed annually to maintain the display.

The reasons hare's tail grass isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming hare's tail 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 hare's tail 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 hare's tail grass to flower

Maximise sun. Give hare's tail 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 hare's tail grass and get the feeding right with the hare's tail 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

Hare's Tail 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 hare's tail grass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Hare's Tail Grass blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my hare's tail grass flower?

Hare's Tail 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 hare's tail grass bloom?

Give hare's tail 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 hare's tail grass normally bloom?