Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Weeping European Larch bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Weeping European Larch, Weeping Larch (Larix decidua 'Pendula').

More about weeping european larch

About Weeping European Larch

Larix decidua 'Pendula' · also called Weeping European Larch, Weeping Larch · flowering

A striking deciduous conifer with dramatically cascading branches clothed in soft, bright-green needles that turn golden-yellow in autumn before dropping. Grafted onto an upright stem, its weeping form makes it a garden focal point. Fully hardy, it thrives in full sun with moist, well-drained soil and tolerates cold winters with ease.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Larch woolly aphid (Adelges laricis): White woolly masses appear at the base of needles in spring, causing needle distortion and early drop. Treat with a systemic insecticide or horticultural oil in early spring before bud break.

The reasons weeping european larch isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming weeping european larch 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 european larch 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 european larch to flower

Maximise sun. Give weeping european larch 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 european larch and get the feeding right with the weeping european larch 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 European Larch 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 european larch care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Weeping European Larch blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my weeping european larch flower?

Weeping European Larch 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 european larch bloom?

Give weeping european larch 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 european larch normally bloom?