Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Toothed Fuchsia, Dentate Fuchsia (Fuchsia denticulata).

More about toothed fuchsia

About Toothed Fuchsia

Fuchsia denticulata · also called Toothed Fuchsia, Dentate Fuchsia · flowering

Fuchsia denticulata is a vigorous, upright shrub or small tree native to the cloud forests of Bolivia and Peru, where it grows at altitude in cool, moist conditions. It produces striking long tubular flowers with red sepals and bright orange-red petals over an extended season, and its glossy, finely toothed leaves are ornamentally attractive in their own right. It is tender — the crown may survive light frosts if mulched heavily, but tops are killed below about -3°C (27°F). The Fuchsia genus is listed as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses by the ASPCA.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons toothed fuchsia isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming toothed 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 toothed 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 toothed fuchsia to flower

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

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

Toothed Fuchsia blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my toothed fuchsia flower?

Toothed 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 toothed fuchsia bloom?

Give toothed 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 toothed fuchsia normally bloom?