Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Angraecum distichum bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Two-ranked Angraecum, Miniature Star Orchid (Angraecum distichum).

More about angraecum distichum

About Angraecum distichum

Angraecum distichum · also called Two-ranked Angraecum, Miniature Star Orchid · flowering

Angraecum distichum is a miniature West African epiphytic orchid with overlapping, laterally flattened leaves on creeping stems and tiny fragrant white star flowers. Grow it warm, humid and shaded under bright-indirect light, mounted or in fine bark. It dislikes drying out and resents cold, hard water and root disturbance once established.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to flower: Too little light or no day-night temperature differential suppresses blooming. Increase bright-indirect light and allow a modest nightly temperature drop.

The reasons angraecum distichum isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming angraecum distichum 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 angraecum distichum 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 angraecum distichum to flower

Maximise sun. Give angraecum distichum 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 angraecum distichum and get the feeding right with the angraecum distichum 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

Angraecum distichum 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 angraecum distichum care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Angraecum distichum blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my angraecum distichum flower?

Angraecum distichum 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 angraecum distichum bloom?

Give angraecum distichum 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 angraecum distichum normally bloom?