Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Two-Row Stonecrop bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Two-Row Stonecrop, Caucasian Stonecrop, Running Stonecrop (Sedum spurium).

More about two-row stonecrop

About Two-Row Stonecrop

Sedum spurium · also called Two-Row Stonecrop, Caucasian Stonecrop · flowering

Sedum spurium is a low, mat-forming stonecrop native to the Caucasus, producing semi-evergreen, opposite leaves arranged in two distinct rows along trailing stems. Flat clusters of starry pink-to-magenta flowers appear in mid-to-late summer. Excellent as drought-tolerant ground cover in sunny, well-drained spots, cascading over walls or filling gravel gardens.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Aphid infestations: Aphids sometimes cluster on flower stems in summer. Blast off with water or use insecticidal soap; beneficial insects control most outbreaks in a healthy garden.

The reasons two-row stonecrop isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming two-row stonecrop 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 two-row stonecrop 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 two-row stonecrop to flower

Maximise sun. Give two-row stonecrop 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 two-row stonecrop and get the feeding right with the two-row stonecrop 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

Two-Row Stonecrop 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 two-row stonecrop care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Two-Row Stonecrop blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my two-row stonecrop flower?

Two-Row Stonecrop 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 two-row stonecrop bloom?

Give two-row stonecrop 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 two-row stonecrop normally bloom?