Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Lupinus 'Tequila Flame' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Tequila Flame lupin (Lupinus 'Tequila Flame').

More about lupinus 'tequila flame'

About Lupinus 'Tequila Flame'

Lupinus 'Tequila Flame' · also called Tequila Flame lupin · flowering

Lupinus 'Tequila Flame' is a compact West Country lupin with vivid bicolour spikes of red and yellow that mature to flame-orange shades over fresh green palmate foliage. It flowers in early summer, thriving in full sun and cool, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Sturdy and free-flowering, it reblooms if deadheaded promptly.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Lupin aphid: The large grey lupin aphid swarms stems and buds, weakening plants and spoiling flowers. Hose them off, support beneficial insects, or treat at the first sign before infestations build.

The reasons lupinus 'tequila flame' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming lupinus 'tequila flame' 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 lupinus 'tequila flame' 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 lupinus 'tequila flame' to flower

Maximise sun. Give lupinus 'tequila flame' 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 lupinus 'tequila flame' and get the feeding right with the lupinus 'tequila flame' 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

Lupinus 'Tequila Flame' 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 lupinus 'tequila flame' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Lupinus 'Tequila Flame' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my lupinus 'tequila flame' flower?

Lupinus 'Tequila Flame' 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 lupinus 'tequila flame' bloom?

Give lupinus 'tequila flame' 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 lupinus 'tequila flame' normally bloom?