Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Arrow Arum bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Arrow Arum, Green Arrow Arum, Tuckahoe, Virginia Peltandra (Peltandra virginica).

More about arrow arum

About Arrow Arum

Peltandra virginica · also called Arrow Arum, Green Arrow Arum · flowering

Peltandra virginica is a robust aquatic and emergent wetland perennial native to swamps, marshes, and slow-moving streams along the eastern coast of North America. It thrives in shallow standing water or permanently waterlogged boggy soil in full sun to part shade, producing distinctive glossy, arrow-shaped leaves up to 45 cm long and a green-spathed flower spike followed by green berry clusters. The single most important care fact is providing permanent wet feet — it must grow in consistently flooded or saturated soil. This plant is toxic to cats and dogs due to calcium oxalate crystals in all plant parts.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Aphid Colonies on New Growth: Aphids frequently colonise the unfurling young leaves and flower spathes in spring; remove by hand or apply insecticidal soap, avoiding contamination of pond water with chemical treatments.

The reasons arrow arum isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming arrow arum 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 arrow arum 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 arrow arum to flower

Maximise sun. Give arrow arum 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 arrow arum and get the feeding right with the arrow arum 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

Arrow Arum 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 arrow arum care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Arrow Arum blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my arrow arum flower?

Arrow Arum 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 arrow arum bloom?

Give arrow arum 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 arrow arum normally bloom?