Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Pink Spur Flower bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Pink Spur Flower, Large Spur-Flower Bush, Ecklon's Spurflower (Plectranthus ecklonii).
More about pink spur flower
About Pink Spur Flower
Plectranthus ecklonii · also called Pink Spur Flower, Large Spur-Flower Bush · flowering
Plectranthus ecklonii is a fast-growing, aromatic, semi-succulent shrub native to the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga provinces of South Africa, where it grows as a forest-margin pioneer. It is best known for its tall, showy spikes of tubular flowers — typically mauve or blue-purple, though pink-flowered cultivars such as 'Erma' are widely grown — that appear in autumn and are highly attractive to bees and butterflies. The most critical care point is to prune hard after flowering in mid-winter to keep the plant compact and prevent it becoming leggy. The plant is not individually listed by ASPCA; treat as mildly toxic to cats and dogs due to aromatic essential oils.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Leggy, straggly growth: Without annual hard pruning after flowering (mid-winter), plants quickly become woody and bare at the base; cut stems back by one-half to two-thirds to regenerate a bushy shape.
The reasons pink spur flower isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming pink spur flower 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 spur flower 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 spur flower to flower
- Maximise sun. Give pink spur flower 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 spur flower and get the feeding right with the pink spur flower 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 Spur Flower 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 spur flower care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Pink Spur Flower blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my pink spur flower flower?
Pink Spur Flower 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 spur flower bloom?
Give pink spur flower 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 spur flower normally bloom?
Pink Spur Flower 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 spur flower 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 spur flower flowering?
Feeding pink spur flower 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 Spur Flower care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Pink Spur Flower light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Pink Spur Flower 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