Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Whirlwind Blue Fan Flower bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Fan Flower, Fairy Fan Flower, Beach Cabbage (Scaevola aemula).

More about whirlwind blue fan flower

About Whirlwind Blue Fan Flower

Scaevola aemula · also called Fan Flower, Fairy Fan Flower · flowering

Whirlwind Blue Fan Flower is a spreading, heat-tolerant Australian native producing an abundance of distinctive fan-shaped, blue-violet blooms on trailing stems throughout summer. Excellent for hanging baskets and container edges. Not listed as toxic by the ASPCA; generally considered non-harmful to pets.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons whirlwind blue fan flower isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming whirlwind blue fan 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 whirlwind blue fan 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 whirlwind blue fan flower to flower

Maximise sun. Give whirlwind blue fan 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 whirlwind blue fan flower and get the feeding right with the whirlwind blue fan 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

Whirlwind Blue Fan 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 whirlwind blue fan flower care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Whirlwind Blue Fan Flower blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my whirlwind blue fan flower flower?

Whirlwind Blue Fan 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 whirlwind blue fan flower bloom?

Give whirlwind blue fan 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 whirlwind blue fan flower normally bloom?