Jasmine does not flower if it is planted in shade, drought stressed or pruned heavily the year before. Too much nitrogen can promote foliage at the expense of flowers. Different species of Jasmine can flower at different times of year. Prune in the Fall to prevent removing flower buds.
If your Jasmine is not flowering then read on to find out why and how to promote blooming…
Different Species of Jasmine Flower at Different Times
There are three main species of Jasmine that are cultivated by gardeners and each species tends to flower at different times of the year which can be confusing if your Jasmine is not flowering at the time of year you expected.
- Common Jasmine (Jasminum officinale) is more sensitive to cold temperatures and flowers in early Spring and can re-bloom in the Summer
- Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) flowers is more hardy and flowers from November to March.
- Many Flowered Jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) more often grown as house plant due to its sensitivity to cold and typically flowers in April/June.
Check the label that came with the plant to find out what species your variety of Jasmine is to determine when it should flower and whether it is hardy in your climate.
The exact timing of flowering depends on many factors so your plant may slightly flower before or after what is typical for the species.
If you Jasmine has not bloomed all year then read on for why this could be…
Lack of Sun Prevents Jasmine Flowering
All species of Jasmine require full sun to flower their best and exude their strongest scent. The less hours of sun the Jasmine receives the fewer flowers will be on display
Jasmine is native to tropical and sub tropical Asia where it grows naturally in full sun.
Whilst some species of Jasmine do not require a tropical climate to grow and flower (such as Winter Jasmine) they all need as much sun as possible for an abundant display of flowers.
Jasmine will flower in 6 hours of direct sun or more during Spring or Summer but the more sun the better it is for flowering and plant health.
With less the 6 hours of direct sun the Jasmine can be under stress and not have the energy to flower.
If your Jasmine is in too much shade then transplant it to a sunny south facing wall or if the Jasmine is been grown as a house plant ensure it is in the sunniest window of the house to promote flowering.
Jasmine Not Flowering due to Drought Stress
Jasmine likes a balance of consistently moist soil with good drainage so that excess water does not pool around the roots.
If the soil around the roots of the jasmine dries out entirely then the stress can prevent Jasmine from flowering, particularly if there is drought in the Spring whist the buds are developing.
Under watered Jasmine is characterized by drooping or curling leaves, poor growth and fewer flowers.
Under watering is not always the only cause of drought stress as can be a few reasons why Jasmine does not flower due to a lack of moisture.
- High winds. Jasmines are climbers that are accustomed to living in sheltered areas often against a wall or a fence with protection from wind but appreciative of a light breeze. If Jasmine are in overly exposed areas then excess wind can sap moisture from the leaves, drying out the plant and impacting flowering.
- Poor sandy soils. Jasmine prefers moist soil with lots of organic matter (compost, leaf mold, well rotted manure etc.). If your soil is sandy then it can drain too quickly for the roots of Jasmine to draw up the moisture it requires resulting in drought and fewer flowers.
- Pots that dry out quickly. Jasmine grow very well in pots, however there is an increased risk of drought stress if you are not diligent with watering. Jasmines prefer full sun and warm locations which can dry out pots quickly, particularly if the pot is relatively small.
To revive a non flowering Jasmine due to drought stress it is important to make sure the soil is consistently moist. Follow these steps to improve the conditions for your Jasmine so that it flowers:
- Increase the watering frequency for your Jasmine to suit the conditions. Established Jasmines often only require water in time of drought due to their extensive roots, however less mature Jasmines and potted Jasmines require more frequent water during the Spring and Summer to avoid drought stress and to be able to flower. Give your Jasmine a good soak once per week in the growing season to promote root growth and increase resilience to drought.
- Try to find a sheltered location for Jasmine or use other plants to buffer wind to prevent excessive moisture loss from the leaves. Spray the leaves with a mist sprayer in the short term to help increase humidity and counter the affects of drought.
- If your soil drains quickly then I recommend applying mulch to the soil twice a year. Mulch such as compost, leaf mold or well rotted manure add nutrients to the soil, conserve moisture and improve the soils structure. Apply a 1 inch layer of mulch to the surface of the soil in the Spring to conserve moisture at the start of the growing season and add another mulch in the Fall to insulate the cold sensitive roots from frost.
- For potted Jasmine suffering drought stress often benefit if they are transferred to a bigger pot. A larger pot size can contain more soil and therefore has a greater capacity for retaining moisture. Use multipurpose compost, leaf mold and some well rotted manure for the best potting mix to conserve water and promote flowering.
- For Indoor potted Jasmine ensure that they are placed in as much sun as possible but keep the pot away from from any sources of heat or air currents form forced air, radiators or air conditioning and water more frequently.
With more frequent watering, a moisture conserving mulch and spraying the leaves, the Jasmine should begin to recover from drought stress.
Whether or not it flowers really depends on when it encounters stress as drought in the Spring tends to disrupt the formation of flowers.
However a more hydrated Jasmine could perhaps re-bloom later in the season or be in a better condition to flower the following.
Water Stress Prevents Jasmine Flowering
Whilst stress from drought can prevent flower so can too much moisture around the roots.
Jasmine require soil that is moist yet well draining and it does not tolerate boggy soil around the roots.
Too much water around the roots can result in a Jasmine with drooping yellow leaves and fewer blooms as excess water can cause fungal disease and deprive the roots of oxygen.
There are several causes for Jasmine not flowering due to water sensitivity:
- Over watering. Watering you Jasmine too frequently so that it limits blooming is difficult if the soil is well draining and has a good structure but frequent watering combined with slow draining soils causes water stress and prevents Jasmine from flowering.
- Slow draining soils. If the soils are naturally boggy or slow draining due to heavy clay then the Jasmine is at increased risk of root rot which prevents Jasmine for flowering and causes the plant to die back.
- Pots and containers. It is important to ensure that pots and containers have drainage holes in the base and excess water can easily drain without blockages of compacted soil or roots. Pots without good drainage cause water to pool around the roots of your Jasmine, preventing flowering and often killing the plant.
If you suspect your Jasmine is suffering with water stress then scale back the watering immediately.
Transfer Jasmine that are in pots or containers without drainage holes to suitable pots and ensure that excess water can escape.
For Jasmine that is planted in boggy garden soil, it is best to transplant the Jasmine, as saturated soil is likely to result in root rot and kill the plant.
Transfer the Jasmine to an area of the garden with well prepared garden soil with lots of compost amendment to improve the soil structure.
If changing the location of your Jasmine is less practical (as it is attached to a wall or fence) then consider lifting the Jasmine root ball out of the ground and planting it in a pot.
With pots or containers it is far easier to amend the soil so that it is more suitable for Jasmine to grow and flower rather then amend soil that is naturally boggy.
Allow the top two inches of the soil to dry out before watering again to give your Jasmine a chance to recover so it can survive and potentially display flowers.
Too Much Fertilizer can Stop Jasmine Flowering
Jasmine grows best when planted in nutrient rich soil and can prosper in temrs of growth and flowering with some light application of ferilizer.
Jasmine does not flower as well if you apply fertilizer too frequently or in too high concentration, particularly fertilizer with a high concentration of Nitrogen.
Nitrogen is essential for foliage growth but too much can promote foliage at the expense of flowers.
If your Jasmine is healthy an green with lots of foliage but with no flowers then it is likely you are over feeding it.
Scale back the use of fertilizer and water your Jasmine regularly to dilute excess water soluble nutrients.
If the Jasmine has no flowers due to too much fertilizer then it is difficult to promote flowering this season but the Jasmine should recover and be able to flower the following year.
To avoid problems associated with too much fertilizer I recommend using a slow release granular fertilizer that releases nutrients at a slower rate and at the right concentration compared to liquid fertilizers to avoid excess of Nitrogen in a short time frame.
A balanced all purpose granular fertilizer such as miracle-gro provides all the nutrients Jasmine requires for flowering at the right concentration.
Nutrient Poor Soil Prevents Jasmine Flowering
If the soil is sandy and low in nutrients then Jasmine leaves tend to turn yellow and display fewer flowers.
Also Jasmine is a climber that is often planted against a wall.
The foundations of the wall can restrict the natural growth of roots which is why the nutrient rich soil is so important for Jasmine to flower.
Ideally the soil should be amended with materials such as compost, leaf mold and well rotted manure for the optimal soil structure, moisture capacity and soil nutrients.
However you can increase the fertility of the soil for established Jasmine with applications of mulch.
Again the best materials for mulch are compost, leaf mold and well rotted manure to add nutrients and to stimulate the soil ecosystem which increases the availability of nutrients at the plants roots.
Apply a 1 inch layer to the surface of the soil ensuring that the mulch does not make contact with the stem of the Jasmine to avoid rot.
As stated, I recommend a slow release, all purposes fertilizer for Jasmine to prevent excess nitrogen causing problems with flowering.
Granular fertilizer only needs to be applied twice a year, once in the Spring and again in the Summer to provide nutrients and promote flowers.
The importance of fertilizer increases if the soil is sandy and therefore does not retain nutrients.
Jasmine in pots and containers can also stop flower due to a deficit of nutrients in the soil.
If Jasmine has been in the same pot for a long time the roots can exhaust the available nutrients in the pot.
At which point the solution is re-pot the Jasmine in a larger pot with new soil. A larger pot has more capacity for soil and therefore the roots have greater access to nutrients.
Use a quality multipurpose compost amended with leaf mold and manure for the optimal soil mix to ensure the Jasmine has the nutrients it requires for flowering.
There is often a greater requirement for fertilizer when Jasmine is grown in pots. Apply a half strength, well balanced liquid fertilizer once per month in the Spring until mid summer to support blooms and plant health.
Pruning Jasmine at the Wrong Time Can Remove Flower Buds
It is important to prune Jasmine at the right time of the year or you can cut back the growth from which this years the flowers are displayed.
Do not prune Jasmine in the Spring or Summer as you could possibly cut back the growth on which the flowers are developing preventing it from blooming.
Jasmine beenfits form a light prune in the Fall after flowering with objective of tidying any unruly growth and untangling any vines.
A hard prune can prevent Jasmine from blooming for several years as the Jasmine redirects its energy to growing back the foliage before it can flower.
If you have pruned your Jasmine back hard or at the wrong time of year then the Jasmine is more likely to flower the following year after its new growth has matured.
Key Takeaways:
- The reasons for Jasmine not flowering is usually because of drought stress, too much nitrogen in the soil or pruning at the wrong time of year. Pruning Jasmine back in the Spring or Summer can remove the growth on which the flowers develop.
- Different species of Jasmine flower at different times of year so check the label to see when your variety should flower.
- Jasmine requires consistently moist soil during the Spring and Summer, if the soil dries out or is perhaps boggy then the Jasmine can struggle to flower.
- Too much fertilizer can promote foliage growth at the expense of blooms. Plant Jasmine in nutrient rich soil and use fertilizer in the Spring and Summer.