Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Pyrenean Ramonda bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Pyrenean ramonda, Pyrenean violet, rock mullein (Ramonda myconi).

More about pyrenean ramonda

About Pyrenean Ramonda

Ramonda myconi · also called Pyrenean ramonda, Pyrenean violet · flowering

A hardy alpine gesneriad native to the Pyrenees, forming tight rosettes of crinkled, dark green hairy leaves with violet-purple flowers in late spring. One of the toughest members of the family, thriving in rock crevices in partial shade. Plants must be grown nearly vertical to prevent rosette rot from winter moisture.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to flower: Insufficient chilling in winter can prevent flowering in warm climates. Plants need cold winter dormancy to set flower buds. Ensure they experience temperatures close to or below freezing during their winter rest.

The reasons pyrenean ramonda isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming pyrenean ramonda 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 pyrenean ramonda 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 pyrenean ramonda to flower

Maximise sun. Give pyrenean ramonda 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 pyrenean ramonda and get the feeding right with the pyrenean ramonda 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

Pyrenean Ramonda 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 pyrenean ramonda care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Pyrenean Ramonda blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my pyrenean ramonda flower?

Pyrenean Ramonda 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 pyrenean ramonda bloom?

Give pyrenean ramonda 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 pyrenean ramonda normally bloom?