Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called weeping blue Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula').

More about weeping blue atlas cedar

About Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar

Cedrus atlantica 'Glauca Pendula' · also called weeping blue Atlas cedar · flowering

Weeping blue Atlas cedar is a sculptural evergreen with cascading, blue-needled branches that drape downward from whatever framework it's trained on. Every tree is unique, shaped by staking. It needs full sun and sharp drainage and is drought-tolerant once established, making it a living architectural feature for entryways, slopes and focal beds.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons weeping blue atlas cedar isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming weeping blue atlas cedar 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 weeping blue atlas cedar 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 weeping blue atlas cedar to flower

Maximise sun. Give weeping blue atlas cedar 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 weeping blue atlas cedar and get the feeding right with the weeping blue atlas cedar 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

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar 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 weeping blue atlas cedar care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my weeping blue atlas cedar flower?

Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar 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 weeping blue atlas cedar bloom?

Give weeping blue atlas cedar 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 weeping blue atlas cedar normally bloom?