Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Profusion Cherry Zinnia, Mildew-resistant Cherry Zinnia (Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry').
More about zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry'
About Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry'
Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' · also called Profusion Cherry Zinnia, Mildew-resistant Cherry Zinnia · flowering
'Profusion Cherry' is an award-winning interspecific zinnia (Z. elegans × Z. angustifolia) bearing single cherry-rose daisy blooms on compact, self-branching mounds. An All-America Selections winner, it offers exceptional resistance to powdery mildew, leaf spot and weather. Low-maintenance, heat- and drought-tolerant and self-cleaning, it flowers nonstop from early summer to frost, perfect for beds and containers.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Fewer blooms in low light: Insufficient sun reduces flowering and the plant's natural vigour. Grow in full sun for nonstop bloom.
The reasons zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' 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 zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' 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 zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' to flower
- Maximise sun. Give zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' 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 zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' and get the feeding right with the zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' 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
Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' 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 zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' flower?
Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' 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 zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' bloom?
Give zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' 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 zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' normally bloom?
Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' after it flowers?
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.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' flowering?
Feeding zinnia elegans 'profusion cherry' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Zinnia elegans 'Profusion Cherry' fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 2023 bloom guides in the Growli library