Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Silver Princess Shasta daisy, Silberprinzesschen daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess').
More about leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess'
About Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess'
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' · also called Silver Princess Shasta daisy, Silberprinzesschen daisy · flowering
'Silver Princess' is a dwarf, compact Shasta daisy smothered in classic white single daisies with bright yellow centres from early summer to autumn. At roughly 25-40 cm it suits border edges, containers and cut flowers. Long-flowering if deadheaded, it forms tidy mounds, asks only for sun and good drainage, and is among the freest-blooming of the dwarf selections.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Declining vigour: Compact dwarf daisies can exhaust themselves and need lifting and dividing every 2-3 years to keep flowering freely.
The reasons leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' 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 leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' 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 leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' 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 leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' and get the feeding right with the leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' 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
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' 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 leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' flower?
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' 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 leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' bloom?
Give leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' 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 leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' normally bloom?
Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' 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 leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' 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 leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' flowering?
Feeding leucanthemum × superbum 'silver princess' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Leucanthemum × superbum 'Silver Princess' 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