Getting it to bloom

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

Also called dwarf Japanese cedar, globe Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica 'Globosa Nana').

More about japanese cedar 'globosa nana'

About Japanese Cedar 'Globosa Nana'

Cryptomeria japonica 'Globosa Nana' · also called dwarf Japanese cedar, globe Japanese cedar · flowering

A compact, rounded dwarf form of Japanese cedar making a neat dome of fine, blue-green foliage that bronzes in winter. 'Globosa Nana' is slow-growing and ideal for small gardens, rockeries, and large containers. It likes moist, fertile, well-drained soil, sun to light shade, and shelter from harsh drying winds.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons japanese cedar 'globosa nana' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming japanese cedar 'globosa nana' 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 cedar 'globosa nana' 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 cedar 'globosa nana' to flower

Maximise sun. Give japanese cedar 'globosa nana' 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 cedar 'globosa nana' and get the feeding right with the japanese cedar 'globosa nana' 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 Cedar 'Globosa Nana' 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 cedar 'globosa nana' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Japanese Cedar 'Globosa Nana' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my japanese cedar 'globosa nana' flower?

Japanese Cedar 'Globosa Nana' 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 cedar 'globosa nana' bloom?

Give japanese cedar 'globosa nana' 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 cedar 'globosa nana' normally bloom?