Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Mountain Hemlock bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Mountain Hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana).
More about mountain hemlock
About Mountain Hemlock
Tsuga mertensiana · also called Mountain Hemlock · flowering
Mountain Hemlock is a stately subalpine conifer native to the mountain ranges of western North America, from Alaska to California. It thrives in cool, snowy environments and is distinguished by its spirally arranged blue-green needles and narrow crown. Extremely cold-hardy, it suits alpine and Pacific Northwest landscapes in USDA zones 3–7.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons mountain hemlock isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming mountain hemlock 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 mountain hemlock 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 mountain hemlock to flower
- Maximise sun. Give mountain hemlock 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 mountain hemlock and get the feeding right with the mountain hemlock 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
Mountain Hemlock 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 mountain hemlock care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Mountain Hemlock blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my mountain hemlock flower?
Mountain Hemlock 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 mountain hemlock bloom?
Give mountain hemlock 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 mountain hemlock normally bloom?
Mountain Hemlock 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 mountain hemlock 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 mountain hemlock flowering?
Feeding mountain hemlock a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Mountain Hemlock care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Mountain Hemlock light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Mountain Hemlock 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 2566 bloom guides in the Growli library