Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Ohio Spiderwort bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Ohio Spiderwort, Smooth Spiderwort, Blue Jacket (Tradescantia ohiensis).
More about ohio spiderwort
About Ohio Spiderwort
Tradescantia ohiensis · also called Ohio Spiderwort, Smooth Spiderwort · flowering
Tradescantia ohiensis is a vigorous, upright native perennial of prairies, roadsides, and open woodlands across the central and eastern United States, producing bright blue-violet three-petalled flowers on smooth, glaucous stems from late spring into early summer. It is exceptionally adaptable, tolerating clay, sand, drought, and poor soils once established. The most important care tip is to cut stems back by half in midsummer after flowering to prevent floppy, untidy growth and encourage a flush of fresh foliage and occasional autumn rebloom. Although T. ohiensis is not individually listed as toxic by the ASPCA, a related species (T. fluminensis) is listed as causing dermatitis in cats, dogs, and horses, so handle with care.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Excessive self-seeding: Plants can colonise large areas via prolific self-seeding; deadhead spent flowers before seed sets, or cut all stems to 15 cm (6 in) after the first flush of bloom.
The reasons ohio spiderwort isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming ohio spiderwort 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 ohio spiderwort 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 ohio spiderwort to flower
- Maximise sun. Give ohio spiderwort 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 ohio spiderwort and get the feeding right with the ohio spiderwort 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
Ohio Spiderwort 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 ohio spiderwort care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Ohio Spiderwort blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my ohio spiderwort flower?
Ohio Spiderwort 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 ohio spiderwort bloom?
Give ohio spiderwort 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 ohio spiderwort normally bloom?
Ohio Spiderwort 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 ohio spiderwort 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 ohio spiderwort flowering?
Feeding ohio spiderwort a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Ohio Spiderwort care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Ohio Spiderwort light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Ohio Spiderwort 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