Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Japanese Camellia bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Japanese camellia, common camellia (Camellia japonica).

More about japanese camellia

About Japanese Camellia

Camellia japonica · also called Japanese camellia, common camellia · flowering

Japanese camellia is a handsome broadleaf evergreen shrub with glossy dark leaves and showy single to fully double flowers in white, pink, or red from late winter into spring. It needs acidic, free-draining soil and dappled shade with shelter from morning sun on frosted buds. Flower buds set in late summer, so summer watering is critical.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Bud drop: Buds form but fall before opening, usually from dryness at the roots in late summer or sudden temperature swings. Water consistently from midsummer and mulch to keep the root zone moist.

The reasons japanese camellia isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming japanese camellia 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 japanese camellia 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 japanese camellia to flower

Maximise sun. Give japanese camellia 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 japanese camellia and get the feeding right with the japanese camellia 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

Japanese Camellia 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 japanese camellia care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Japanese Camellia blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my japanese camellia flower?

Japanese Camellia 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 japanese camellia bloom?

Give japanese camellia 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 japanese camellia normally bloom?