Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Nicotiana sylvestris bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Woodland Tobacco, South American Tobacco, Looking Glass Plant (Nicotiana sylvestris).

More about nicotiana sylvestris

About Nicotiana sylvestris

Nicotiana sylvestris · also called Woodland Tobacco, South American Tobacco · flowering

A stately, architectural flowering tobacco growing into a tall rosette of huge paddle-shaped leaves topped by drooping clusters of long, pure-white tubular flowers that perfume the evening air. Native to Argentina and Bolivia, woodland tobacco is grown as a dramatic back-of-border annual or short-lived perennial, drawing moths and hawk-moths to its night-scented blooms.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Wind damage and toppling: Tall stems and broad leaves catch wind and can snap or lean. Plant in a sheltered spot and stake the flower stem in exposed gardens.

The reasons nicotiana sylvestris isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming nicotiana sylvestris 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 sylvestris 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 sylvestris to flower

Maximise sun. Give nicotiana sylvestris 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 sylvestris and get the feeding right with the nicotiana sylvestris 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 sylvestris 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 sylvestris care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Nicotiana sylvestris blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my nicotiana sylvestris flower?

Nicotiana sylvestris 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 sylvestris bloom?

Give nicotiana sylvestris 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 sylvestris normally bloom?