Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Pink Senecio bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Pink senecio, Pink ragwort, Holly-leaved senecio, Woad-leaved ragwort (Senecio glastifolius).
More about pink senecio
About Pink Senecio
Senecio glastifolius · also called Pink senecio, Pink ragwort · flowering
Senecio glastifolius is an upright, woody-based perennial herb endemic to the coastal fynbos of the southern Cape Provinces of South Africa, from George to Humansdorp. It bears large, cheerful daisy-like flowers with a single row of lilac-pink to mauve petals around a yellow centre, produced at the tips of branched stems above glossy dark green foliage. In temperate gardens it performs as a half-hardy perennial or short-lived shrub, needing a sunny, sheltered position with well-drained soil and is often grown as an annual in colder climates. Pink senecio contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids characteristic of the Senecio genus and is toxic to dogs and cats.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Invasive self-seeding: In mild coastal climates of southern England, Australia, and the western US, S. glastifolius can self-seed prolifically and become invasive on disturbed ground; deadhead spent flowers before seed sets if growing outside its native range.
The reasons pink senecio isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming pink senecio 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 pink senecio 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 pink senecio to flower
- Maximise sun. Give pink senecio 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 pink senecio and get the feeding right with the pink senecio 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
Pink Senecio 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 pink senecio care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Pink Senecio blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my pink senecio flower?
Pink Senecio 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 pink senecio bloom?
Give pink senecio 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 pink senecio normally bloom?
Pink Senecio 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 pink senecio 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 pink senecio flowering?
Feeding pink senecio a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Pink Senecio care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Pink Senecio light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Pink Senecio 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