Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Pheasant's Tail Grass bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Pheasant's tail grass, New Zealand wind grass, Gossamer grass (Anemanthele lessoniana).

More about pheasant's tail grass

About Pheasant's Tail Grass

Anemanthele lessoniana · also called Pheasant's tail grass, New Zealand wind grass · flowering

Anemanthele lessoniana is an elegant, evergreen bunchgrass native to New Zealand, renowned for its fine, arching leaves that shift from green to rich orange, red, and bronze tones in autumn and winter — the most ornamental cool-season display of any temperate grass. It prefers full sun to partial shade in free-draining soil and is tolerant of coastal winds and mild frost. The most important care fact is that it is evergreen and should only be lightly combed through, not cut hard back, or it will not recover. Not listed as toxic; considered pet-safe.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Self-seeding nuisance: Plants self-seed prolifically in warm, sheltered sites; seedlings can become weedy in mild winters — remove spent flower heads before seeds set to control spread.

The reasons pheasant's tail grass isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming pheasant's tail grass 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 pheasant's tail grass 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 pheasant's tail grass to flower

Maximise sun. Give pheasant's tail grass 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 pheasant's tail grass and get the feeding right with the pheasant's tail grass 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

Pheasant's Tail Grass 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 pheasant's tail grass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Pheasant's Tail Grass blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my pheasant's tail grass flower?

Pheasant's Tail Grass 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 pheasant's tail grass bloom?

Give pheasant's tail grass 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 pheasant's tail grass normally bloom?