Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Perfume Deep Purple Flowering Tobacco, Deep Purple Nicotiana (Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple').
More about nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple'
About Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple'
Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' · also called Perfume Deep Purple Flowering Tobacco, Deep Purple Nicotiana · flowering
A compact, fragrant flowering tobacco from the Perfume series, 'Perfume Deep Purple' bears clusters of star-shaped, deep violet-purple trumpets that release a rich evening scent. Bred for tidy bedding and containers, it flowers continuously through summer and attracts moths and other night pollinators. It thrives in sun to part shade and rewards deadheading with steady bloom.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Wilting in heat or dry soil: Flowering tobacco droops rapidly when soil dries. Maintain even moisture, mulch to conserve water, and provide afternoon shade in hot climates.
The reasons nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' 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 nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' 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 nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' 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 nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' and get the feeding right with the nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' 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
Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' 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 nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' flower?
Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' 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 nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' bloom?
Give nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' 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 nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' normally bloom?
Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' 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 nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' 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 nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' flowering?
Feeding nicotiana alata 'perfume deep purple' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Nicotiana alata 'Perfume Deep Purple' 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 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library