Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Orange Bugle Lily, Pillans Bugle Lily (Watsonia pillansii).

More about pillans' watsonia

About Pillans' Watsonia

Watsonia pillansii · also called Orange Bugle Lily, Pillans Bugle Lily · flowering

Pillans' Watsonia is a South African cormous perennial that produces striking orange to brick-red tubular flowers on tall, upright spikes in summer. One of the most brightly coloured Watsonia species, it is suited to full-sun borders in warm climates. Vigorous and long-lived once established. Toxicity to pets is uncertain — treat as mildly toxic.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Colour fading: Flower colour is most vivid with adequate sun and good nutrition. Deep shade or low potassium leads to pale blooms.

The reasons pillans' watsonia isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming pillans' watsonia 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 pillans' watsonia 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 pillans' watsonia to flower

Maximise sun. Give pillans' watsonia 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 pillans' watsonia and get the feeding right with the pillans' watsonia 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

Pillans' Watsonia 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 pillans' watsonia care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Pillans' Watsonia blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my pillans' watsonia flower?

Pillans' Watsonia 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 pillans' watsonia bloom?

Give pillans' watsonia 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 pillans' watsonia normally bloom?