Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called variegated Persian ivy, toothed variegated ivy (Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata').

More about hedera colchica 'dentata variegata'

About Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata'

Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata' · also called variegated Persian ivy, toothed variegated ivy · flowering

'Dentata Variegata' is a striking large-leaved Persian ivy with bold, soft-edged leaves boldly margined in creamy yellow that mellows to white. An RHS Award of Garden Merit climber, it brightens shade as a vigorous evergreen wall-cover or groundcover. Indoors it makes a dramatic trailer; the variegation holds best in good indirect light.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' 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 hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' 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 hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' to flower

Maximise sun. Give hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' 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 hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' and get the feeding right with the hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' 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

Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata' 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 hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' flower?

Hedera colchica 'Dentata Variegata' 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 hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' bloom?

Give hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' 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 hedera colchica 'dentata variegata' normally bloom?