Weigelas are famous for their stunning, lush blooms and their “set it and forget it” nature. But if you leave them entirely to their own devices, those beautiful flowers will start to thin out until, eventually, the bush stops blooming altogether. If your shrub is looking a little green and lonely, don’t worry—here’s the lowdown on why your Weigela isn’t blooming and how you can fix it.
Common Reasons Your Weigela Isn’t Blooming
Usually, when a Weigela stays shy during flowering season, it’s down to one of these four culprits:
- Pruning at the wrong time
- “Aging out” due to a lack of pruning
- Too much shade
- Over-fertilizing
Since Weigelas are pretty tough plants, diseases are rarely the reason for a lack of flowers.
Pruning Blunders
To keep a Weigela happy and productive, regular pruning is a must. However, timing is everything! Weigelas actually set their flower buds in the fall. If you get overzealous with the shears in the early spring, you might accidentally snip off all those future blossoms before they even have a chance to open.
The “Old Age” Factor
If you never prune your Weigela, the shrub will eventually start to show its age. It becomes “woody” and loses its vigor, leading to fewer flowers every year until it quits blooming entirely. The good news? You can save it with a rejuvenation prune. Between November and February, cut the entire shrub back radically to about 8 inches. You won’t see flowers the following summer, but by the second year, it’ll be back in all its glory. To avoid such a drastic haircut in the future, just make sure to thin it out a little bit every year.
Location, Location, Location
Weigelas are sun-worshippers. In full shade, they won’t bloom at all, and even in partial shade, the flower show will be pretty disappointing. A sunny spot is the secret to success. If you notice your shrub is struggling during bloom time, you should consider transplanting it as soon as possible. Just keep in mind that the older a Weigela gets, the more it hates moving day!
If you’re growing your Weigela in a container, you’ll also need to prune the root ball every three to four years to keep the plant refreshed. If the roots get too cramped, the flowers will disappear.
Too Much of a Good Thing (Over-fertilizing)
It sounds counterintuitive, but too much fertilizer can actually stop flowers from forming. Excessive nitrogen leads to “water sprouts”—long, leggy green shoots that grow fast but never produce buds. If you notice your plant is all leaves and no action, scale back on the plant food and let it balance itself out.
