Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Wishbone Flower, Bluewings, Clown Flower (Torenia fournieri).
More about summer wave amethyst wishbone flower
About Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower
Torenia fournieri · also called Wishbone Flower, Bluewings · flowering
Wishbone Flower is a heat-tolerant annual that thrives in shade with tubular two-toned blooms in amethyst purple and white. A superb choice for hanging baskets and shaded beds, it flowers all summer without deadheading. The ASPCA lists Torenia as non-toxic to dogs and cats, making it a pet-safe choice for the garden.
Plant type: flowering
The reasons summer wave amethyst wishbone flower isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming summer wave amethyst wishbone flower 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 summer wave amethyst wishbone flower 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 summer wave amethyst wishbone flower to flower
- Maximise sun. Give summer wave amethyst wishbone flower 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 summer wave amethyst wishbone flower and get the feeding right with the summer wave amethyst wishbone flower 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
Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower 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 summer wave amethyst wishbone flower care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my summer wave amethyst wishbone flower flower?
Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower 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 summer wave amethyst wishbone flower bloom?
Give summer wave amethyst wishbone flower 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 summer wave amethyst wishbone flower normally bloom?
Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower 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 summer wave amethyst wishbone flower 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 summer wave amethyst wishbone flower flowering?
Feeding summer wave amethyst wishbone flower a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Summer Wave Amethyst Wishbone Flower 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 4831 bloom guides in the Growli library