Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called long-leaved speedwell, Blauriesin veronica (Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin').
More about veronica longifolia 'blauriesin'
About Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin'
Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' · also called long-leaved speedwell, Blauriesin veronica · flowering
Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' is an upright clump-forming speedwell producing dense, tapering spikes of lavender-blue flowers from mid to late summer above narrow, toothed leaves. Long-flowering and excellent for cutting, it draws bees and butterflies and suits sunny mixed and herbaceous borders. Deadheading prolongs the display, and sturdy stems usually stand without support.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Reduced flowering without deadheading: Spent spikes slow rebloom. Cut back faded flowers promptly to encourage a second flush.
The reasons veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' 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 veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' 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 veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' 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 veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' and get the feeding right with the veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' 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
Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' 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 veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' flower?
Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' 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 veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' bloom?
Give veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' 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 veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' normally bloom?
Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' 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 veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' 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 veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' flowering?
Feeding veronica longifolia 'blauriesin' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Veronica longifolia 'Blauriesin' 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