Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Holmstrup Arborvitae bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Holmstrup Arborvitae, Columnar Thuja (Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup').
More about holmstrup arborvitae
About Holmstrup Arborvitae
Thuja occidentalis 'Holmstrup' · also called Holmstrup Arborvitae, Columnar Thuja · flowering
A slow, dense, narrowly columnar evergreen with rich green foliage in tight vertical sprays that hold colour well through winter. Its compact width and slow growth make it a low-maintenance choice for narrow screens, accents, and small-garden privacy. It prefers full sun and consistently moist, well-drained soil, and rarely needs pruning to keep its formal shape.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons holmstrup arborvitae isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming holmstrup arborvitae 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 holmstrup arborvitae 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 holmstrup arborvitae to flower
- Maximise sun. Give holmstrup arborvitae 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 holmstrup arborvitae and get the feeding right with the holmstrup arborvitae 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
Holmstrup Arborvitae 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 holmstrup arborvitae care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Holmstrup Arborvitae blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my holmstrup arborvitae flower?
Holmstrup Arborvitae 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 holmstrup arborvitae bloom?
Give holmstrup arborvitae 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 holmstrup arborvitae normally bloom?
Holmstrup Arborvitae 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 holmstrup arborvitae 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 holmstrup arborvitae flowering?
Feeding holmstrup arborvitae a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Holmstrup Arborvitae care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Holmstrup Arborvitae light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Holmstrup Arborvitae 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 1410 bloom guides in the Growli library