Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Aerangis biloba bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Two-lobed Aerangis, African Star Orchid (Aerangis biloba).

More about aerangis biloba

About Aerangis biloba

Aerangis biloba · also called Two-lobed Aerangis, African Star Orchid · flowering

Aerangis biloba is a West African monopodial epiphyte named for its notched, two-lobed leaf tips, bearing graceful pendent sprays of white star-shaped flowers with long curving nectar spurs that are fragrant at night. Grown mounted or in small baskets, it wants bright filtered light, warm conditions, steady even moisture, and high humidity to flower well indoors.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Bud blast: Dry air or unstable conditions as the long-spurred buds form. Keep humidity high and temperatures steady through the autumn bloom cycle.

The reasons aerangis biloba isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming aerangis biloba traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding aerangis biloba a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get aerangis biloba to flower

Maximise sun. Give aerangis biloba the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for aerangis biloba and get the feeding right with the aerangis biloba fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Aerangis biloba flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full aerangis biloba care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Aerangis biloba blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my aerangis biloba flower?

Aerangis biloba blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make aerangis biloba bloom?

Give aerangis biloba the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does aerangis biloba normally bloom?