Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Moudry Black Fountain Grass bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called moudry fountain grass, black-flowered fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry').

More about moudry black fountain grass

About Moudry Black Fountain Grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry' · also called moudry fountain grass, black-flowered fountain grass · flowering

'Moudry' is the black-plumed fountain grass, with broad, glossy dark-green blades and dramatic deep purple-black foxtail flowers in late summer and autumn. It forms a substantial mounded clump in full sun. Striking but vigorous, it self-seeds freely and is best where its prolific seedlings can be managed in US and UK gardens.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Plumes hidden in foliage: The dark flowers can be partly obscured by the broad leaves and nod late in the season; site it where the clump is viewed from above or backlit.

The reasons moudry black fountain grass isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming moudry black fountain grass 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 moudry black fountain grass 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 moudry black fountain grass to flower

Maximise sun. Give moudry black fountain grass 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 moudry black fountain grass and get the feeding right with the moudry black fountain grass 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

Moudry Black Fountain Grass 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 moudry black fountain grass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Moudry Black Fountain Grass blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my moudry black fountain grass flower?

Moudry Black Fountain Grass 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 moudry black fountain grass bloom?

Give moudry black fountain grass 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 moudry black fountain grass normally bloom?