Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Solanum laxum 'Album' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called white-flowered potato vine, jasmine nightshade (Solanum laxum 'Album').

More about solanum laxum 'album'

About Solanum laxum 'Album'

Solanum laxum 'Album' · also called white-flowered potato vine, jasmine nightshade · flowering

The pure-white form of potato vine, 'Album' is a vigorous semi-evergreen climber smothered from summer to autumn in loose clusters of starry white flowers with golden centres. It scrambles through trellis and wires on warm, sheltered walls, giving a long, luminous display. Frost-tender and a nightshade-family member, it rewards a sunny, well-drained spot in milder gardens.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Shy flowering: Too much shade or excessive nitrogen reduces bloom; give full sun and a high-potassium feed to maximise the white display.

The reasons solanum laxum 'album' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming solanum laxum 'album' 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 solanum laxum 'album' 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 solanum laxum 'album' to flower

Maximise sun. Give solanum laxum 'album' 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 solanum laxum 'album' and get the feeding right with the solanum laxum 'album' 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

Solanum laxum 'Album' 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 solanum laxum 'album' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Solanum laxum 'Album' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my solanum laxum 'album' flower?

Solanum laxum 'Album' 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 solanum laxum 'album' bloom?

Give solanum laxum 'album' 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 solanum laxum 'album' normally bloom?