Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Strawberry globe amaranth bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Strawberry globe amaranth, haage globe amaranth, orange globe amaranth (Gomphrena haageana).

More about strawberry globe amaranth

About Strawberry globe amaranth

Gomphrena haageana · also called Strawberry globe amaranth, haage globe amaranth · flowering

Strawberry globe amaranth produces bright orange-red to strawberry-coloured papery flowerheads on sturdy, well-branched stems through summer and autumn. A heat- and drought-tolerant Central American annual, it thrives in full sun and poor, well-drained soils. Its intensely coloured, everlasting flowers are superb for fresh and dried arrangements.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to thrive in cool or wet summers: Unlike many annuals, G. haageana genuinely needs heat to perform. In cool, cloudy UK summers it may produce few flowers. Maximise warmth by growing against a south-facing wall, using black-plastic mulch to warm the soil, or treating as a greenhouse/conservatory subject in the UK.

The reasons strawberry globe amaranth isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming strawberry globe amaranth 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 strawberry globe amaranth 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 strawberry globe amaranth to flower

Maximise sun. Give strawberry globe amaranth 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 strawberry globe amaranth and get the feeding right with the strawberry globe amaranth 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

Strawberry globe amaranth 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 strawberry globe amaranth care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Strawberry globe amaranth blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my strawberry globe amaranth flower?

Strawberry globe amaranth 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 strawberry globe amaranth bloom?

Give strawberry globe amaranth 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 strawberry globe amaranth normally bloom?