Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Gold Heart' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Gold Heart bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Gold Heart').

More about lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart'

About Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Gold Heart'

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Gold Heart' · also called Gold Heart bleeding heart · flowering

A striking bleeding heart grown as much for its luminous golden-yellow foliage as for its rosy-pink, heart-shaped spring flowers. The chartreuse-to-gold leaves brighten shady corners, contrasting with coral-pink stems. Like all old-fashioned bleeding hearts it is a moisture-loving, clump-forming woodland perennial that goes dormant in summer heat.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' 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 lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' 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 lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' to flower

Maximise sun. Give lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' 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 lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' and get the feeding right with the lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' 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

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Gold Heart' 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 lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Gold Heart' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' flower?

Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Gold Heart' 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 lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' bloom?

Give lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' 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 lamprocapnos spectabilis 'gold heart' normally bloom?