Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Pencilled Cranesbill bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Pencilled cranesbill, pencilled geranium, veiny geranium (Geranium versicolor).
More about pencilled cranesbill
About Pencilled Cranesbill
Geranium versicolor · also called Pencilled cranesbill, pencilled geranium · flowering
Geranium versicolor is a clump-forming hardy perennial native to southern Italy and the Balkans, bearing white to pale-pink funnel-shaped flowers with striking dark violet veining — as though drawn on with a fine pencil — from late spring to early autumn. It forms a dense, weed-suppressing mat of lobed, mid-green hairy leaves that remains semi-evergreen in mild winters. The most important care note is that it performs well in heavier shade than most cranesbills, making it ideal for difficult spots under trees or on shaded banks. Considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Powdery mildew: Can appear in late summer on dry soils in warm conditions; shear the plant back hard after the main flowering flush to encourage a clean flush of new leaves and often a second round of flowers.
The reasons pencilled cranesbill isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming pencilled cranesbill 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 pencilled cranesbill 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 pencilled cranesbill to flower
- Maximise sun. Give pencilled cranesbill 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 pencilled cranesbill and get the feeding right with the pencilled cranesbill 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
Pencilled Cranesbill 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 pencilled cranesbill care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Pencilled Cranesbill blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my pencilled cranesbill flower?
Pencilled Cranesbill 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 pencilled cranesbill bloom?
Give pencilled cranesbill 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 pencilled cranesbill normally bloom?
Pencilled Cranesbill 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 pencilled cranesbill 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 pencilled cranesbill flowering?
Feeding pencilled cranesbill a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Pencilled Cranesbill care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Pencilled Cranesbill light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Pencilled Cranesbill 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