Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Jonquil, Rush-leaved Jonquil, Wild Jonquil (Narcissus jonquilla).

More about jonquil

About Jonquil

Narcissus jonquilla · also called Jonquil, Rush-leaved Jonquil · flowering

Narcissus jonquilla is a strongly fragrant species daffodil from Spain and Portugal, bearing clusters of 2–6 small golden-yellow flowers with shallow cups on slender, rush-like stems in mid-spring. Its intense, sweet fragrance is prized in perfumery. More tolerant of warmth and drought than most narcissi, it excels in warm, dry borders and is ideal for Southern US gardens.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Narcissus bulb fly: Larvae of the large narcissus fly (Merodon equestris) hollow out bulbs, leaving a shell of rotting tissue. Affected plants produce weak, grassy growth with no flowers. Prevent by covering soil with fine mesh immediately after foliage dies down to block adult flies from laying eggs.

The reasons jonquil isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming jonquil 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 jonquil 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 jonquil to flower

Maximise sun. Give jonquil 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 jonquil and get the feeding right with the jonquil 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

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

Jonquil blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my jonquil flower?

Jonquil 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 jonquil bloom?

Give jonquil 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 jonquil normally bloom?