Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Needle grass, Feather grass, Capillary feather grass (Stipa capillata).

More about needle grass

About Needle Grass

Stipa capillata · also called Needle grass, Feather grass · flowering

Stipa capillata is a tough, ornamental feather grass native to the dry steppes and grasslands of central and eastern Europe through to central Asia, growing in well-drained, often calcareous or sandy soils in full sun. It is prized for its fine, hair-like foliage and for its spectacular summer display of silky, feathery seed heads that shimmer in the breeze on extremely long, twisting awns. The most important care fact is that it demands excellent drainage and full sun — it will quickly rot and decline in wet, heavy, or shaded conditions. It is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs, though the sharp awns can physically injure pets and should be noted as a hazard.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons needle grass isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming needle 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 needle 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 needle grass to flower

Maximise sun. Give needle 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 needle grass and get the feeding right with the needle 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

Needle 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 needle grass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Needle Grass blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my needle grass flower?

Needle 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 needle grass bloom?

Give needle 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 needle grass normally bloom?