Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Superbena Stormburst Verbena, Bicolor Trailing Verbena (Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst').
More about verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst'
About Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst'
Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' · also called Superbena Stormburst Verbena, Bicolor Trailing Verbena · flowering
'Superbena Stormburst' is a vigorous, trailing garden verbena bearing large clusters of lavender-pink florets streaked with darker veining. Bred for heat tolerance and strong mildew resistance, it spills generously from baskets and containers and blooms from spring to frost in full sun. Self-cleaning and floriferous, it needs only steady warmth, sun and sharp drainage.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Reduced flowering in shade: Blooms thin out without full sun. Relocate baskets to the sunniest position to restore vigour and colour.
The reasons verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' 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 verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' 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 verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' 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 verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' and get the feeding right with the verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' 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
Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' 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 verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' flower?
Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' 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 verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' bloom?
Give verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' 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 verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' normally bloom?
Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' 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 verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' 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 verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' flowering?
Feeding verbena × hybrida 'superbena stormburst' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Verbena × hybrida 'Superbena Stormburst' 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 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library