Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Anguloa clowesii bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Cradle Orchid, Tulip Orchid (Anguloa clowesii).

More about anguloa clowesii

About Anguloa clowesii

Anguloa clowesii · also called Cradle Orchid, Tulip Orchid · flowering

Anguloa clowesii, the cradle or tulip orchid, is a cool-growing Colombian species famous for cupped, waxy lemon-yellow spring flowers with a loose, rocking lip that gives it its name. Closely related to Lycaste, it forms large pseudobulbs and broad pleated deciduous leaves, and needs bright light, generous summer water, and a cooler winter rest to bloom.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to bloom: Most often from too-warm winters or skipping the rest. A cooler, somewhat drier winter period is needed to set the spring flower stalks from mature growths.

The reasons anguloa clowesii isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming anguloa clowesii 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 anguloa clowesii 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 anguloa clowesii to flower

Maximise sun. Give anguloa clowesii 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 anguloa clowesii and get the feeding right with the anguloa clowesii 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

Anguloa clowesii 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 anguloa clowesii care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Anguloa clowesii blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my anguloa clowesii flower?

Anguloa clowesii 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 anguloa clowesii bloom?

Give anguloa clowesii 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 anguloa clowesii normally bloom?