Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Treasure flower, Gazania, African daisy (Gazania rigens).

More about treasure flower

About Treasure flower

Gazania rigens · also called Treasure flower, Gazania · flowering

Treasure flower is a sun-loving South African perennial grown as an annual in temperate climates, prized for its vivid daisy-like blooms in gold, orange, yellow, pink, red, and bronze with contrasting dark central zones. Flowers close at night and in cloudy weather. Exceptionally drought-tolerant, it excels in hot, dry borders, coastal gardens, and containers.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Flowers failing to open: Gazania flowers are photonastic — they close in shade, cloudy weather, and at night. If blooms rarely open, the plant is not receiving enough direct sun. Relocate to a sunnier spot.

The reasons treasure flower isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming treasure 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 treasure 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 treasure flower to flower

Maximise sun. Give treasure 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 treasure flower and get the feeding right with the treasure 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

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

Treasure flower blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my treasure flower flower?

Treasure 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 treasure flower bloom?

Give treasure 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 treasure flower normally bloom?