Getting it to bloom

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

Also called zebra basket vine, marbled lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus marmoratus).

More about aeschynanthus marmoratus

About Aeschynanthus marmoratus

Aeschynanthus marmoratus · also called zebra basket vine, marbled lipstick plant · flowering

Aeschynanthus marmoratus, the zebra basket vine, is a foliage-first lipstick plant: lance-shaped green leaves are veined and marbled with darker zebra-like markings and flushed maroon beneath. Its tubular flowers are green to brownish and subtle. An easy trailing epiphyte for hanging baskets, it thrives in bright indirect light, an airy mix, warmth and moderate humidity.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons aeschynanthus marmoratus isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming aeschynanthus marmoratus 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 marmoratus 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 marmoratus to flower

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

Aeschynanthus marmoratus blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my aeschynanthus marmoratus flower?

Aeschynanthus marmoratus 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 marmoratus bloom?

Give aeschynanthus marmoratus 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 marmoratus normally bloom?