Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Little Devil ninebark, dwarf purple ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius 'Donna May' (Little Devil)).
More about physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil'
About Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil'
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Donna May' (Little Devil) · also called Little Devil ninebark, dwarf purple ninebark · flowering
'Little Devil' is a true dwarf ninebark, a neat mound of small, deep burgundy leaves topped with pinkish-white flower clusters in early summer. Its compact size and fine texture suit small gardens, borders and containers, and it shows good mildew resistance. Extremely hardy and adaptable, it holds the richest colour in full sun on most well-worked soils.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' 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 physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' 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 physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' 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 physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' and get the feeding right with the physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' 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
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil' 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 physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' flower?
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil' 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 physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' bloom?
Give physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' 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 physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' normally bloom?
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil' 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 physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' 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 physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' flowering?
Feeding physocarpus opulifolius 'little devil' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil' 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 1410 bloom guides in the Growli library