Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Spiny Fuchsia bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Spiny Fuchsia, Palo de Yegua, Box-thorn Fuchsia (Fuchsia lycioides).

More about spiny fuchsia

About Spiny Fuchsia

Fuchsia lycioides · also called Spiny Fuchsia, Palo de Yegua · flowering

Fuchsia lycioides is a deciduous, spiny shrub endemic to coastal central Chile, where it grows in full sun on dry, rocky hillsides and cliff faces in a Mediterranean climate with prolonged summer droughts of three to ten months. It is the sole member of section Kierschlegeria and uniquely drought-tolerant among fuchsias, bearing small rose-pink flowers on woody, thorny branches. The most important care fact is excellent drainage with a dry summer rest period — overwatering during its natural drought season causes root rot. The Fuchsia genus is listed as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses by the ASPCA.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons spiny fuchsia isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming spiny fuchsia 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 spiny fuchsia 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 spiny fuchsia to flower

Maximise sun. Give spiny fuchsia 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 spiny fuchsia and get the feeding right with the spiny fuchsia 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

Spiny Fuchsia 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 spiny fuchsia care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Spiny Fuchsia blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my spiny fuchsia flower?

Spiny Fuchsia 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 spiny fuchsia bloom?

Give spiny fuchsia 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 spiny fuchsia normally bloom?