Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Rigid Draba bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Rigid Draba, Stiff Whitlowgrass (Draba rigida).

More about rigid draba

About Rigid Draba

Draba rigida · also called Rigid Draba, Stiff Whitlowgrass · flowering

Rigid Draba is a minute cushion alpine from volcanic and rocky habitats in Turkey and the Caucasus, producing remarkably tight, hard domes of tiny, rigid leaves. Cheerful bright yellow flowers appear in early spring on very short stems. It is among the most compact of all alpine drabas and a favourite for specialist alpine troughs and exhibition work.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Cushion collapse after flowering: The central cushion can die back suddenly after a heavy flowering season, especially in older specimens. Carefully trim away dead portions and dust with sulphur powder to discourage secondary fungal infection.

The reasons rigid draba isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming rigid draba 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 rigid draba 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 rigid draba to flower

Maximise sun. Give rigid draba 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 rigid draba and get the feeding right with the rigid draba 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

Rigid Draba 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 rigid draba care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Rigid Draba blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my rigid draba flower?

Rigid Draba 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 rigid draba bloom?

Give rigid draba 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 rigid draba normally bloom?