Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Woodsia ilvensis bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Rusty Woodsia, Fragrant Woodsia (Woodsia ilvensis).

More about woodsia ilvensis

About Woodsia ilvensis

Woodsia ilvensis · also called Rusty Woodsia, Fragrant Woodsia · flowering

Woodsia ilvensis, the rusty woodsia, is a small, hardy alpine fern of rocky outcrops across the cool northern hemisphere. Its narrow, twice-cut fronds carry rusty-brown scales and hairs beneath, giving the plant its name. A tough crevice dweller adapted to lean, gritty ground and cold exposure, it is a connoisseur's choice for alpine troughs and rock gardens.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons woodsia ilvensis isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming woodsia ilvensis 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 woodsia ilvensis 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 woodsia ilvensis to flower

Maximise sun. Give woodsia ilvensis 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 woodsia ilvensis and get the feeding right with the woodsia ilvensis 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

Woodsia ilvensis 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 woodsia ilvensis care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Woodsia ilvensis blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my woodsia ilvensis flower?

Woodsia ilvensis 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 woodsia ilvensis bloom?

Give woodsia ilvensis 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 woodsia ilvensis normally bloom?