Getting it to bloom

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

Also called lipstick plant, Lobb's lipstick vine (Aeschynanthus lobbianus).

More about aeschynanthus lobbianus

About Aeschynanthus lobbianus

Aeschynanthus lobbianus · also called lipstick plant, Lobb's lipstick vine · flowering

Aeschynanthus lobbianus, a lipstick plant, is a trailing epiphytic gesneriad from Southeast Asia, named for bright red tubular flowers that emerge from dark, lipstick-like calyces along cascading stems of thick, waxy leaves. It is superb in hanging baskets, flowering best with bright indirect light, warmth, moderate-to-high humidity and a slightly snug pot.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — No flowers: Too little light is the most common cause, along with a too-large pot. Provide bright indirect light, keep the plant slightly pot-bound, and feed with a high-potash liquid in summer.

The reasons aeschynanthus lobbianus isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming aeschynanthus lobbianus 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 lobbianus 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 lobbianus to flower

Maximise sun. Give aeschynanthus lobbianus 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 lobbianus and get the feeding right with the aeschynanthus lobbianus 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 lobbianus 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 lobbianus care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Aeschynanthus lobbianus blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my aeschynanthus lobbianus flower?

Aeschynanthus lobbianus 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 lobbianus bloom?

Give aeschynanthus lobbianus 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 lobbianus normally bloom?