Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Ice Plant bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Ice Plant, Showy Stonecrop, Butterfly Stonecrop (Sedum spectabile).

More about ice plant

About Ice Plant

Sedum spectabile · also called Ice Plant, Showy Stonecrop · flowering

Sedum spectabile (now often listed as Hylotelephium spectabile) is a clump-forming border perennial with fleshy, pale blue-green leaves and large flat-topped corymbs of rose-pink star flowers in late summer and autumn. Exceptionally drought-tolerant, it thrives in full sun and lean soil, and its dried seedheads extend winter interest while feeding birds.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Aphids on developing flower buds: Colonies sometimes form on summer buds. A strong jet of water or insecticidal soap spray deals with outbreaks; natural predators usually control light infestations.

The reasons ice plant isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming ice plant 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 ice plant 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 ice plant to flower

Maximise sun. Give ice plant 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 ice plant and get the feeding right with the ice plant 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

Ice Plant 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 ice plant care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Ice Plant blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my ice plant flower?

Ice Plant 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 ice plant bloom?

Give ice plant 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 ice plant normally bloom?