Any idea why my coneflowers might not be blooming? I bought them as tiny seedlings early this year. All 3 of my plants keep growing more leaves but that’s it.
A lot of perennials dedicate their first year to growing roots and leaves (to power the plant). Flowering takes a ton of energy, and the roots store that energy. You may not see blooms this year, but next year you will!
A handy saying to remember is “the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the third year it leaps!”
Give it some time. I planted a bunch of milkweed seedlings from a fellow Redditor this year and am also waiting impatiently. 😊 Meanwhile, my more established grasses and monarda are going crazy. ❤️
throwawaybsme
They’ll bloom next year. Some plants just don’t bloom for a couple of years from a seed, especially natives.
sammille25
My orange coneflower didn’t bloom their first year.
____-_________-____
There’s a great phrase that explains this, in reference to perennials: In the first year they sleep, the second they creep, and in their third they leap.
It’s not uncommon for them to spend all their energy working on roots in the first year
ToBePacific
They’ll bloom next year.
calinet6
If they were tiny seedlings then they need a year or two just to grow their roots and stamina to grow bigger and flower. Larger plants will flower in their first year but small seedlings or echinacea grown from seed stays very small in the first year.
In fact I have some yearlings that are a lot smaller than this, so yours are looking good!
unnasty_front
She’s still a toddler, next year she will be a teenager, then she will be an adult.
Blueporch
My coneflowers don’t bloom until the second year when I start them from seeds. Patience, my friend. You will be rewarded next year. Unless the deer eat them, which sometimes happens with mine.
Strangewhine88
In zone 8b, looking that healthy in late July, i’d call that success. They may still surprise you with some blooms later in the year, if not, next year they will be up and at it early.
Eventer2295
Thanks to all of you for your responses! I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing something wrong. 😅
TemporaryCamera8818
I’ve found that coneflower in particular takes basically 2 growing seasons to get going
OkayDokeyDo
That looks like a healthy plant. Mine looked like that last year and this year it is at least twice as big and full of flowers. I bet it will be gorgeous next year!
Preemptively_Extinct
Nature runs on it’s own schedule.
Looks like they’re doing really good. you should be happy next year.
seandelevan
Wait until you get plants that take 2..3..4 years to bloom😜
Kelley4life
Mine looked like that last year. This year they are taller than my kids!
JustAnotherHuman108
oh she’s gonna be a hearty one next year! Looks healthy!
16 Comments
A lot of perennials dedicate their first year to growing roots and leaves (to power the plant). Flowering takes a ton of energy, and the roots store that energy. You may not see blooms this year, but next year you will!
A handy saying to remember is “the first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, the third year it leaps!”
Give it some time. I planted a bunch of milkweed seedlings from a fellow Redditor this year and am also waiting impatiently. 😊 Meanwhile, my more established grasses and monarda are going crazy. ❤️
They’ll bloom next year. Some plants just don’t bloom for a couple of years from a seed, especially natives.
My orange coneflower didn’t bloom their first year.
There’s a great phrase that explains this, in reference to perennials: In the first year they sleep, the second they creep, and in their third they leap.
It’s not uncommon for them to spend all their energy working on roots in the first year
They’ll bloom next year.
If they were tiny seedlings then they need a year or two just to grow their roots and stamina to grow bigger and flower. Larger plants will flower in their first year but small seedlings or echinacea grown from seed stays very small in the first year.
In fact I have some yearlings that are a lot smaller than this, so yours are looking good!
She’s still a toddler, next year she will be a teenager, then she will be an adult.
My coneflowers don’t bloom until the second year when I start them from seeds. Patience, my friend. You will be rewarded next year. Unless the deer eat them, which sometimes happens with mine.
In zone 8b, looking that healthy in late July, i’d call that success. They may still surprise you with some blooms later in the year, if not, next year they will be up and at it early.
Thanks to all of you for your responses! I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t doing something wrong. 😅
I’ve found that coneflower in particular takes basically 2 growing seasons to get going
That looks like a healthy plant. Mine looked like that last year and this year it is at least twice as big and full of flowers. I bet it will be gorgeous next year!
Nature runs on it’s own schedule.
Looks like they’re doing really good. you should be happy next year.
Wait until you get plants that take 2..3..4 years to bloom😜
Mine looked like that last year. This year they are taller than my kids!
oh she’s gonna be a hearty one next year! Looks healthy!