Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Bluebird smooth aster, smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird').

More about symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird'

About Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird'

Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird' · also called Bluebird smooth aster, smooth blue aster · flowering

A standout smooth aster with clouds of violet-blue, yellow-centred daisies on dark, near-mildew-resistant stems from late summer into autumn, reaching about 1.2 m. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, tolerating drier conditions than most asters. Tough, upright and a magnet for late pollinators, it is pet-safe per the ASPCA and notably trouble-free in the border.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Self-seeding: It can set viable seed and pop up around the garden, with seedlings unlikely to match the parent. Deadhead after flowering if you want to limit spread.

The reasons symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' 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 symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' 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 symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' to flower

Maximise sun. Give symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' 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 symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' and get the feeding right with the symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' 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

Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird' 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 symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' flower?

Symphyotrichum laeve 'Bluebird' 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 symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' bloom?

Give symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' 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 symphyotrichum laeve 'bluebird' normally bloom?