Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Tessellated Colchicum bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Tessellated colchicum, Chequered autumn crocus, Tessellated meadow saffron (Colchicum agrippinum).
More about tessellated colchicum
About Tessellated Colchicum
Colchicum agrippinum · also called Tessellated colchicum, Chequered autumn crocus · flowering
Colchicum agrippinum is a compact corm-forming perennial native to the eastern Mediterranean, producing distinctive pink-purple, strongly tessellated (chequered) flowers in late summer and early autumn — well before its strap-like leaves emerge the following spring. Plant the corms in free-draining soil in a sunny spot and leave them undisturbed; they naturalise readily in gravel gardens or the front of a border. Keep reliably dry during summer dormancy to mimic their natural Mediterranean bake. All parts of this plant are highly toxic to cats and dogs due to colchicine.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Failure to flower (blind corms): Results from inadequate summer baking (too much shade or irrigation during dormancy) or planting corms too shallow — position the top of the corm 8–10 cm below the soil surface in full sun.
The reasons tessellated colchicum isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming tessellated colchicum 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 tessellated colchicum 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 tessellated colchicum to flower
- Maximise sun. Give tessellated colchicum 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 tessellated colchicum and get the feeding right with the tessellated colchicum 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
Tessellated Colchicum 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 tessellated colchicum care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Tessellated Colchicum blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my tessellated colchicum flower?
Tessellated Colchicum 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 tessellated colchicum bloom?
Give tessellated colchicum 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 tessellated colchicum normally bloom?
Tessellated Colchicum flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with tessellated colchicum after it flowers?
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.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping tessellated colchicum flowering?
Feeding tessellated colchicum a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Tessellated Colchicum care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Tessellated Colchicum light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Tessellated Colchicum fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library