Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir, Blue Douglas Fir, Interior Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca).
More about rocky mountain douglas fir
About Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir
Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca · also called Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir, Blue Douglas Fir · flowering
The cold-hardy inland variety of Douglas Fir native to the Rocky Mountains, distinguished by its blue-green to glaucous needles and compact, slower growth compared to the coastal variety. Forms a densely conical to pyramidal evergreen tree, highly drought- and cold-tolerant. Valuable as a large specimen, windbreak, or wildlife tree across northern and mountain gardens.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Douglas Fir woolly aphid (Adelges cooleyi): White woolly masses appear on new shoots in spring, causing needle distortion and premature drop. Infestations are usually more aesthetic than fatal on established trees. Apply horticultural oil or systemic insecticide in early spring at bud swell.
The reasons rocky mountain douglas fir isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming rocky mountain douglas fir 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 rocky mountain douglas fir 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 rocky mountain douglas fir to flower
- Maximise sun. Give rocky mountain douglas fir 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 rocky mountain douglas fir and get the feeding right with the rocky mountain douglas fir 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
Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir 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 rocky mountain douglas fir care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my rocky mountain douglas fir flower?
Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir 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 rocky mountain douglas fir bloom?
Give rocky mountain douglas fir 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 rocky mountain douglas fir normally bloom?
Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir 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 rocky mountain douglas fir 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 rocky mountain douglas fir flowering?
Feeding rocky mountain douglas fir a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir 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 3229 bloom guides in the Growli library