Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Sand Lovegrass bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Lacy Lovegrass, Thread Lovegrass (Eragrostis trichodes).
More about sand lovegrass
About Sand Lovegrass
Eragrostis trichodes · also called Lacy Lovegrass, Thread Lovegrass · flowering
Sand Lovegrass is a graceful North American native warm-season grass producing billowing, airy panicles of reddish-purple to pinkish flowers that catch the light from midsummer into autumn. It is exceptionally drought-tolerant, thriving in hot, dry, sandy soils. The genus Eragrostis is not listed by the ASPCA as toxic.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Failure to flower in shade: Insufficient sun drastically reduces flowering. Ensure a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun daily.
The reasons sand lovegrass isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming sand lovegrass 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 sand lovegrass 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 sand lovegrass to flower
- Maximise sun. Give sand lovegrass 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 sand lovegrass and get the feeding right with the sand lovegrass 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
Sand Lovegrass 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 sand lovegrass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Sand Lovegrass blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my sand lovegrass flower?
Sand Lovegrass 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 sand lovegrass bloom?
Give sand lovegrass 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 sand lovegrass normally bloom?
Sand Lovegrass 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 sand lovegrass 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 sand lovegrass flowering?
Feeding sand lovegrass a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Sand Lovegrass care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Sand Lovegrass light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Sand Lovegrass 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 4831 bloom guides in the Growli library