Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Scarlet Freesia bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Scarlet Freesia, False Freesia, Flowering Grass (Freesia laxa).

More about scarlet freesia

About Scarlet Freesia

Freesia laxa · also called Scarlet Freesia, False Freesia · flowering

Freesia laxa (syn. Anomatheca laxa) is a slender, graceful South African cormous perennial producing bright scarlet-red, six-petalled flowers on wiry stems from May to June. Easier and hardier than florist freesias, it self-seeds freely, naturalizes in gravel gardens, and thrives in full sun with excellent drainage. The pure-white form (var. alba) is equally appealing.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Self-seeding invasiveness: Freesia laxa self-seeds prolifically and can become invasive in mild climates (USDA Zone 9+) or in disturbed garden soils. Deadhead promptly after flowering if spread is unwanted, or grow in containers to contain it.

The reasons scarlet freesia isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming scarlet freesia 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 scarlet freesia 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 scarlet freesia to flower

Maximise sun. Give scarlet freesia 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 scarlet freesia and get the feeding right with the scarlet freesia 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

Scarlet Freesia 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 scarlet freesia care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Scarlet Freesia blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my scarlet freesia flower?

Scarlet Freesia 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 scarlet freesia bloom?

Give scarlet freesia 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 scarlet freesia normally bloom?