Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called black pagoda lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda').

More about aeschynanthus 'black pagoda'

About Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda'

Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda' · also called black pagoda lipstick plant · flowering

Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda' is a trailing epiphytic lipstick plant grown as much for its foliage as its flowers: fleshy leaves are mottled deep green above with purple-marbled undersides. Orange-yellow tubular blooms appear in flushes. An easy-going hanging-basket gesneriad, it wants bright indirect light, an airy mix, warmth and steady moisture, with a light winter rest to encourage flowering.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Reluctant to flower: Often too little light or no winter cool-down. Provide a brief autumn rest (around 13-16°C with slightly drier soil) to encourage bud formation.

The reasons aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' 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 aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' 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 aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' to flower

Maximise sun. Give aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' 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 aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' and get the feeding right with the aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' 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

Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda' 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 aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' flower?

Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda' 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 aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' bloom?

Give aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' 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 aeschynanthus 'black pagoda' normally bloom?