Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Scarlet Sage, Red Sage, Fire Sage, Tropical Sage (Salvia splendens).

More about scarlet sage

About Scarlet Sage

Salvia splendens · also called Scarlet Sage, Red Sage · flowering

Salvia splendens is a tender perennial native to shaded forest margins in Brazil, grown almost universally as a bedding annual in temperate climates for its densely packed, brilliantly coloured flower spikes in red, pink, white, coral, and purple. It is one of the most widely planted summer bedding plants in the world, reliably flowering from late spring until the first autumn frost. The single most important care fact is that it needs consistent moisture — it will not tolerate drought and quickly drops flower buds if the soil dries out. Research has documented anticoagulant activity of plant extracts in dogs; classified as mildly-toxic as a precaution.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Botrytis (grey mould) on flower spikes: The dense flower spikes trap humidity and are prone to grey botrytis mould, especially in cool, wet weather or when watered overhead. Improve air circulation, remove affected spikes promptly, and water only at soil level.

The reasons scarlet sage isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming scarlet sage 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 sage 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 sage to flower

Maximise sun. Give scarlet sage 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 sage and get the feeding right with the scarlet sage 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 Sage 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 sage care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Scarlet Sage blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my scarlet sage flower?

Scarlet Sage 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 sage bloom?

Give scarlet sage 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 sage normally bloom?