Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Blushing Arisaema bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Blushing Arisaema, Blushing Cobra Lily (Arisaema erubescens).

More about blushing arisaema

About Blushing Arisaema

Arisaema erubescens · also called Blushing Arisaema, Blushing Cobra Lily · flowering

Blushing Arisaema is a woodland aroid from China and Southeast Asia bearing a striking hooded spathe flushed pink to deep maroon above creamy white stripes. It grows from a flat corm in humus-rich, consistently moist shade, dies back to dormancy in autumn, and returns reliably each spring. Excellent for a shaded border or woodland garden.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to flower: Young or undersized corms often produce only leaves in the first season. Corms need to reach a diameter of roughly 3–4 cm before producing a spathe. Feed well through summer and allow the corm to bulk up over 1–2 seasons.

The reasons blushing arisaema isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming blushing arisaema 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 blushing arisaema 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 blushing arisaema to flower

Maximise sun. Give blushing arisaema 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 blushing arisaema and get the feeding right with the blushing arisaema 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

Blushing Arisaema 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 blushing arisaema care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Blushing Arisaema blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my blushing arisaema flower?

Blushing Arisaema 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 blushing arisaema bloom?

Give blushing arisaema 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 blushing arisaema normally bloom?