Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Torenia fournieri bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called wishbone flower, bluewings, clown flower (Torenia fournieri).

More about torenia fournieri

About Torenia fournieri

Torenia fournieri · also called wishbone flower, bluewings · flowering

Wishbone flower is a compact shade-tolerant annual grown for its two-lipped, snapdragon-like blooms in violet, blue, pink and white, named for the wishbone-shaped stamens inside. It flowers non-stop from summer to frost in partial shade, making it a reliable filler for borders, containers and hanging baskets in warm, humid weather.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Wilting in heat and drought: Flowering stalls and leaves droop if the soil dries or sun is too intense. Keep soil evenly moist and give afternoon shade in hot regions.

The reasons torenia fournieri isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming torenia fournieri 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 torenia fournieri 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 torenia fournieri to flower

Maximise sun. Give torenia fournieri 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 torenia fournieri and get the feeding right with the torenia fournieri 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

Torenia fournieri 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 torenia fournieri care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Torenia fournieri blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my torenia fournieri flower?

Torenia fournieri 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 torenia fournieri bloom?

Give torenia fournieri 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 torenia fournieri normally bloom?