Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Tilia tomentosa 'Petiolaris' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Weeping Silver Lime, Pendent Silver Lime (Tilia tomentosa 'Petiolaris').

More about tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris'

About Tilia tomentosa 'Petiolaris'

Tilia tomentosa 'Petiolaris' · also called Weeping Silver Lime, Pendent Silver Lime · flowering

The weeping silver lime is an elegant large deciduous tree with arching, pendulous branches and dark leaves backed in silvery-white felt that shimmer in the breeze. Its richly scented late-summer flowers draw pollinators. Tolerant of pollution and heat, it makes a stately specimen. Tilia is ASPCA-listed as non-toxic to dogs and cats.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Flowers narcotic to bumblebees: Silver limes are sometimes blamed for bumblebees found dazed or dead beneath them in late summer; current evidence points mainly to bees foraging on nectar-depleted flowers during dearth rather than direct toxicity. It is a recognised but largely seasonal, low-impact phenomenon.

The reasons tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' 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 tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' 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 tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' to flower

Maximise sun. Give tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' 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 tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' and get the feeding right with the tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' 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

Tilia tomentosa 'Petiolaris' 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 tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Tilia tomentosa 'Petiolaris' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' flower?

Tilia tomentosa 'Petiolaris' 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 tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' bloom?

Give tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' 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 tilia tomentosa 'petiolaris' normally bloom?