Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Royal Candles speedwell (Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles').

More about veronica spicata 'royal candles'

About Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles'

Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles' · also called Royal Candles speedwell · flowering

A compact, clump-forming spike speedwell prized for dense, upright violet-blue flower spires from early to midsummer. 'Royal Candles' (sometimes sold as 'Glory') is a tidy, free-flowering selection that draws bees and butterflies, tolerates drought once established, and rebounds with a second flush if deadheaded. Reliably hardy and low-maintenance in full sun and sharp-draining soil.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Fewer second-flush blooms: Spent spikes left on the plant reduce reblooming; deadhead promptly to encourage a second flush.

The reasons veronica spicata 'royal candles' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming veronica spicata 'royal candles' 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 spicata 'royal candles' 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 spicata 'royal candles' to flower

Maximise sun. Give veronica spicata 'royal candles' 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 spicata 'royal candles' and get the feeding right with the veronica spicata 'royal candles' 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 spicata 'Royal Candles' 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 spicata 'royal candles' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my veronica spicata 'royal candles' flower?

Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles' 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 spicata 'royal candles' bloom?

Give veronica spicata 'royal candles' 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 spicata 'royal candles' normally bloom?