Trumpet Vine No Blooms: How To Force A Trumpet Vine To Flower

Non-Flowering Trumpet Vine
(Image credit: Nahhan)

Sometimes you'll hear a gardener lament there are no flowers on trumpet vines that they've painstakingly cared for. Trumpet vines that do not bloom are a frustrating and all too frequent problem. While there are no guarantees that you'll get your trumpet vine blooming, the following tips may help you understand why there are no flowers on trumpet vines and how to get a future trumpet vine blooming.

Reasons for Trumpet Vine, No Blooms

Lack of sunlight is a common reason why gardeners have trumpet vines that do not bloom. If the vine is planted in a shady area, stems may appear leggy from reaching for sunlight. Learning how to force a trumpet vine to flower will include eight to ten hours of sunlight daily. Immaturity can also be the reason there are no flowers on trumpet vines. This plant takes several years to reach maturity and be ready to bloom. If the trumpet vine was grown from seed, it can take ten years for it to be old enough to bloom. Too much fertilizer or soil that is too rich can cause trumpet vines that do not bloom. Trumpet vines generally flower best when planted in lean or rocky soil. Fertilization, especially high nitrogen fertilizer, can create lots of large, lush leaves, but directs the energy to the foliage while blooms are neglected. Fertilizer that is high in phosphorus, or even bone meal, may encourage trumpet vine blooming. Pruning at the wrong time can lead to trumpet vine, no blooms. Trumpet vine blooming occurs on new growth of the current year. If pruning is needed on the plant, do it in winter or early spring, then allow new growth to be undisturbed to get the trumpet vine blooming.

Why Won't My Trumpet Vine Flower?

A difficult task for the dedicated gardener is to neglect the plant with no flowers on trumpet vines. Avoid pruning and feeding if the plant is in the right soil and getting enough sunlight. If you think the soil might be too rich or the area does not get enough sun, take cuttings and experiment with how to force a trumpet vine to flower by using these suggestions.

Becca Badgett
Writer

Becca Badgett was a regular contributor to Gardening Know How for ten years. Co-author of the book How to Grow an EMERGENCY Garden, Becca specializes in succulent and cactus gardening.