Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Nodding Wand Flower bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Nodding wand flower, Grassy bells, Fairy wand (Dierama pendulum).
More about nodding wand flower
About Nodding Wand Flower
Dierama pendulum · also called Nodding wand flower, Grassy bells · flowering
Endemic to the eastern Cape of South Africa, Dierama pendulum is a winter-growing, summer-dormant cormous perennial that produces graceful, arching stems bearing large, pendulous, pink to mauve bell-shaped flowers. Unlike its more commonly grown relative D. pulcherrimum, it has a marked winter-growing season and requires regular heavy watering from early spring through late summer, then relative dryness from autumn through winter. The corms are never fully dormant and must never be lifted and stored dry. It is not confirmed as toxic to pets.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Failure to flower after cutting back foliage: Removing healthy green leaves — even old, tatty ones — seriously retards growth and flowering. Remove only the outer brown, dead leaves by gentle tugging; never shear the plant to the ground.
The reasons nodding wand flower isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming nodding wand flower 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 nodding wand flower 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 nodding wand flower to flower
- Maximise sun. Give nodding wand flower 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 nodding wand flower and get the feeding right with the nodding wand flower 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
Nodding Wand Flower 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 nodding wand flower care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Nodding Wand Flower blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my nodding wand flower flower?
Nodding Wand Flower 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 nodding wand flower bloom?
Give nodding wand flower 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 nodding wand flower normally bloom?
Nodding Wand Flower 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 nodding wand flower 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 nodding wand flower flowering?
Feeding nodding wand flower a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Nodding Wand Flower care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Nodding Wand Flower light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Nodding Wand Flower 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 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library