Fuchsia Doesn't Bloom: What To Do When A Fuchsia Plant Is Not Blooming

Potted Fuchsia Plant
fuschia plant
(Image credit: Maja Dumat)

Many times when we bring fuchsia plants home from the store, they are loaded with their fairy-like blossoms. After a few weeks, the number of blossoms on your fuchsia starts to decline, then one day, no fuchsia blooms. Don't worry; this is a common occurrence with fuchsia, but one that can usually be easily fixed. Keep reading to learn what to do for how to get fuchsia to blossom beautifully again.

Why is My Fuchsia Plant Not Blooming?

Fuchsia plants always flower on new growth. Therefore, no fuchsia blooms on a plant is generally an indication that the plant needs to be cut or pinched. Pinching will force your fuchsia plant to grow new branches. Once the plant produces adequate growth in early spring, the end tips are usually pinched to encourage blooming. Your fuchsia plant should be pinched continually through the summer to keep it producing flowers. Pinching your fuchsia is as easy as literally pinching or cutting the end one-quarter to one-half of each branch. If your fuchsia stopped blooming, fuchsias normally begin to flower within about six weeks of this pinching. It is best to avoid issues with a fuchsia plant not blooming by pinching throughout the spring and summer. Without continual clipping at the end of blooming, the old branches simply become leggy-looking, non-blooming nightmares. In other words, the fuchsia won't flower on older branches.

How to Get Fuchsia to Blossom

When there are no fuchsia blooms, you can also try cutting back the branches to the strongest node. Within about a month or so, it should start producing new branches, which will put out a new round of flowers. For best results and continual flowering from spring through fall, you should keep cutting or pinching them back as each branch stops blooming. In addition, plants should be kept in light sun or partial shade with evenly moist, well-draining soil. Feed fuchsias every other week (during blooming and active growth) with a half strength balanced fertilizer. A fuchsia plant with no fuchsia blooms can be a disappointment but one that is easily corrected. Follow this easy advice and you will never again have a fuchsia plant not blooming.

Nikki Tilley
Senior Editor

Nikki Tilley has been gardening for nearly three decades. The former Senior Editor and Archivist of Gardening Know How, Nikki has also authored six gardening books.