Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Anthurium 'Black Queen' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Black Anthurium, Black Flamingo Flower (Anthurium andraeanum 'Black Queen').

More about anthurium 'black queen'

About Anthurium 'Black Queen'

Anthurium andraeanum 'Black Queen' · also called Black Anthurium, Black Flamingo Flower · flowering

Anthurium 'Black Queen' is a flamingo flower selection grown for its dramatic, near-black glossy spathes that open deep burgundy and darken with age, set against broad green leaves. A tropical epiphytic aroid, it flowers almost year-round indoors given bright indirect light, steady warmth, high humidity and a chunky, fast-draining mix. Note: all parts are toxic to pets.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Few or pale flowers: Too little light or over-feeding with nitrogen gives lots of leaf but few spathes. Provide bright indirect light and a phosphorus-leaning feed.

The reasons anthurium 'black queen' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming anthurium 'black queen' 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 anthurium 'black queen' 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 anthurium 'black queen' to flower

Maximise sun. Give anthurium 'black queen' 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 anthurium 'black queen' and get the feeding right with the anthurium 'black queen' 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

Anthurium 'Black Queen' 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 anthurium 'black queen' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Anthurium 'Black Queen' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my anthurium 'black queen' flower?

Anthurium 'Black Queen' 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 anthurium 'black queen' bloom?

Give anthurium 'black queen' 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 anthurium 'black queen' normally bloom?