Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai, Sakura Bonsai (Prunus serrulata).
More about japanese flowering cherry bonsai
About Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai
Prunus serrulata · also called Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai, Sakura Bonsai · flowering
Japanese Flowering Cherry (Prunus serrulata), the iconic sakura, is a deciduous bonsai grown for its spectacular spring blossom in pink to white, set against smooth banded bark. It needs full sun, a cold winter dormancy and careful pruning timed to protect flower buds. Demanding but rewarding, it is one of the most celebrated flowering bonsai. All parts are toxic to pets.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Few or no flowers: Too little sun, excess nitrogen, or pruning at the wrong time removes flower buds. Give full sun, feed for buds in late summer, and prune just after flowering finishes.
The reasons japanese flowering cherry bonsai isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming japanese flowering cherry bonsai 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 flowering cherry bonsai 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 flowering cherry bonsai to flower
- Maximise sun. Give japanese flowering cherry bonsai 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 flowering cherry bonsai and get the feeding right with the japanese flowering cherry bonsai 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 Flowering Cherry Bonsai 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 flowering cherry bonsai care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my japanese flowering cherry bonsai flower?
Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai 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 flowering cherry bonsai bloom?
Give japanese flowering cherry bonsai 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 flowering cherry bonsai normally bloom?
Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai 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 japanese flowering cherry bonsai 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 japanese flowering cherry bonsai flowering?
Feeding japanese flowering cherry bonsai a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Japanese Flowering Cherry Bonsai 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 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library