Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Monarch of the Veldt bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Monarch of the Veldt, Cape Daisy, Namaqua Daisy (Arctotis fastuosa).
More about monarch of the veldt
About Monarch of the Veldt
Arctotis fastuosa · also called Monarch of the Veldt, Cape Daisy · flowering
Arctotis fastuosa is a striking South African annual or tender perennial native to Namaqualand, producing vivid orange, 10 cm daisy-like flowers with a deep purple-black central disc atop silver-white, deeply lobed, woolly foliage. It excels in full sun with sharply drained, poor to moderately fertile soil and performs best in cooler, dry summers — heat and humidity reduce flowering. The most important care factor is to avoid overwatering; established plants withstand considerable drought. The ASPCA lists a related Arctotis species (A. stoechadifolia) as non-toxic; caution is still advised as no entry exists specifically for this species.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Poor flowering in summer heat: Arctotis fastuosa is a cool-season bloomer and stops flowering when temperatures consistently exceed 28–30°C. In hot climates, sow in autumn for a spring display rather than planting for summer colour.
The reasons monarch of the veldt isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming monarch of the veldt 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 monarch of the veldt 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 monarch of the veldt to flower
- Maximise sun. Give monarch of the veldt 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 monarch of the veldt and get the feeding right with the monarch of the veldt 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
Monarch of the Veldt 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 monarch of the veldt care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Monarch of the Veldt blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my monarch of the veldt flower?
Monarch of the Veldt 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 monarch of the veldt bloom?
Give monarch of the veldt 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 monarch of the veldt normally bloom?
Monarch of the Veldt 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 monarch of the veldt 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 monarch of the veldt flowering?
Feeding monarch of the veldt a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Monarch of the Veldt care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Monarch of the Veldt light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Monarch of the Veldt 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 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library