Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Japanese maple (Acer palmatum).

More about japanese maple

About Japanese Maple

Acer palmatum · also called Japanese maple · flowering

Japanese maple is a slow-growing deciduous tree or large shrub prized for its delicate palmate leaves and spectacular autumn color in reds, oranges, and gold. Tiny reddish-purple spring flowers give way to winged samaras. It thrives in dappled shade with shelter from wind and hot afternoon sun, in moist, acidic, well-drained soil, and adapts well to large containers and bonsai.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons japanese maple isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming japanese maple 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 maple 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 maple to flower

Maximise sun. Give japanese maple 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 maple and get the feeding right with the japanese maple 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 Maple 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 maple care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Japanese Maple blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my japanese maple flower?

Japanese Maple 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 maple bloom?

Give japanese maple 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 maple normally bloom?