skip to main content

It won't bloom! Why does my clematis not flower?

10 years ago

There are three main reasons why a clematis doesn't flower:
1) The plant is still immature and hasn't reached flowering size yet. Clematis will take up to three to five years to become a fully mature plant, but they should carry a small number of flowers even while still young.

2) The most common problem with vines that produce an over abundance of green growth and no flowers is caused by a nutrient imbalance, usually too much nitrogen. It is best to fertilize clematis with organic, slow release fertilizers when you prune group three clematis (see Pruning FAQ for a full explanation of prune groups), usually in late February or early March. Fertilizers are characterized by 3 numbers representing the relative concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K), in that order. Plants use nitrogen to grow foliage, phosphorus to develop root systems and form fruit, and potassium to promote flowers and develop resistance to disease. Choose a fertilizer with a low nitrogen number relative to the phosphorus number, such as 5-10-10, so that your plant will develop blossoms and roots, rather than lots of foliage. Some bulb or tomato fertilizers have concentrations similar to this. A second dose of fertilizer is recommended in June. Encapsulated three month slow release fertilizers are also a good choice.

3) Untimely pruning can also result in the loss of flowers, especially with the early flowered cultivars (these types include C. alpina, C. macropetela, and early large flowered hydrid types). These types of clematis form their flowers on the previous years growth. If pruning removes this new growth, the plant will not flower. Please also see the Pruning FAQ to get a better understaning of pruning requirements and how this affects flowering.

Comment

Related Discussions
Why won't my phlox bloom?
Q
Comments (4)
Ahhh... could be! I bought them at a flea market flower show and they were only labeled "phlox". (This is my first try at growing phlox so I don't know much about them.) Judging from the looks of them in the containers it appeared as if the seller had dug the plants straight out of the ground and put them into pots. They were just a mass of flowers when I bought them... I'm hopeful that they ARE a spring-flowering variety. (More to look forward to next year!) Thanks for the reply, Carol!
...See More
Why won't my Hydrangias bloom?
Q
Comments (8)
BUT (yes it's a big one, watch out, ha), you CAN grow them and get them to bloom further north with some winter protection for the buds, since they're proving to be root-hardy ie they're still alive and growing from the roots. What you need to do is protect the buds, which grow at the tips of the stems. Make a little circle around the plant using stakes or sticks, add chicken wire or burlap to form a cage, stuff the cage with leaves. Oak leaves supposedly don't pack down as much as others. Keep an extra bag of leaves in the garage (so they don't freeze), as you'll need to add more leaves if they do pack down and expose the buds. Remove the entire thing when the last frost date is past. You should see new growth, and swollen buds on the tips of the branches. Sounds like work, esp. as the shrubs get bigger. Which is why they came up all the newer paniculatas that bloom on both "new" and old wood. In other words, they develop new buds after growth resumes in spring, as well as sometimes keeping their buds from the past year. HTH!
...See More
Why won't my pink hydreangeas flower?
Q
Comments (1)
They have never flowered in three years in a row? 1. If you are doing some pruning after the shrubs have created flower buds, you might be prunning off next year's blooms. This mainly affects hydrangeas that bloom on 'old' wood. Otherwise, I would look at Mother Nature. 2. Some hydrangeas planted out of zone will require winter protection and, if they do not get it, they may produce new stems from the ground up every year, with nice dark green leaves... and with no blooms. 3. Finally, hydrangeas planted in dense shade MAY have a hard time flowering but this really varies; some do well and others struggle to bloom. You may have to get a variety that blooms on 'new' wood. But before doing that, do you know the name of the pink hydrangea variety that does not bloom?
...See More
Why won't my bouganvilla bloom?
Q
Comments (16)
Cynthia, thank you for the photo! Gorgeous!!! Meg, don't water too sparingly ... LOL. The roots need moisture to grow. My theory is after the roots have been twirling around the pot for a bit the plant 'decides' that this is as far as they're going to get and begins the blooming process to replicate itself. That may be why a more mature plant will bloom after the flood and drying period as mentioned above. It 'thinks'; "Well, I may die soon so I better use all my energy to bloom and produce seeds." However, the varieties we grow are sterile hybrids and don't make seeds. The article below says not to use saucers under pots. Perhaps saucers might promote rot in 80 to 90 degree climates like some parts of California and Florida, but with our 105 to 110 + degrees in summer they need all the help they can get so I use saucers. The saucers retain a little water and gives the soil time to soak it up. The peat moss in many potting soils become resistant to absorbing water after drying. I even mix extra water retaining crystals in my potting soil. Miracle Gro contains it already, but not enough IMHO. Sometimes if the soil has really dried out I either set the pot in a tub of water to hydrate, or lay a very slow dripping hose in the pot. Plus there are differences in varieties. I notice some begin blooming later/earlier/longer than others, but all the hybrid varieties available in nurseries bloom well. Do keep us posted. Wishing for you the best blooming bougie in the world! ... :-) Here is a link that might be useful: How to water bougies ... mostly about bougies in ground.
...See More

Related Stories

PLANTING IDEAS Great Garden Combo: Rose + Clematis for Small-Space Impact

We all need somebody to lean on. And when a rose supports a climbing vine, the results can totally transform a small garden

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Clematis Virginiana

By Pollination Press LLC

Devil’s darning needles, a vigorous vine native to eastern North America, likes partial shade and many types of soils

GARDENING GUIDES Top 12 Summer-Blooming Perennials for Deer-Resistant Drama

Can you have garden color, fragrance and exciting foliage with hungry deer afoot? These beauties say yes

FURNITURE 12 Sofa Colors That Won't Box You In

By Judith Taylor Designs

With any of these colors as a base, you can change your decor as often as you change your mind

PATIOS Patio Details: Dog Won’t Trample the Plants With This Design

By Annie Thornton

An Asian-inspired backyard redo adds clean lines, a new water feature and a sense of spaciousness — with room for a large beloved dog

BATHROOM MAKEOVERS 9 Powder Room Splurges You Won’t Regret

By Michelle Gage | Interior Designer

Make a big statement in your smallest room

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Ceanothus Pleases With Nectar and Fragrant Blooms

West Coast natives: The blue flowers of drought-tolerant ceanothus draw the eye and help support local wildlife too

TREES 6 Unsung Spring-Blooming Trees

Billowy blooms and rare fragrances will make you wonder how these flowering trees could ever have been underused in landscapes

GARDENING GUIDES How to Prune Your Flowering Shrubs for the Best Blooms

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Less is often more when it comes to properly pruning flowering shrubs. Here’s what to do and why

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Plant Baptisia Bracteata for Blooms Pollinators Will Love

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Longbract wild indigo is great in dry soil, and its spring flowers attract butterflies and bumblebees

Sponsored

Gus & Sons Home Services LLC

6 Reviews

Comprehensive Residential Construction & Remodeling in Virginia