Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Eternal Flame Plant bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Eternal Flame Plant, Eternal Flame Calathea, Saffron-coloured Calathea, Calathea crocata, Tassmania (Goeppertia crocata).

More about eternal flame plant

About Eternal Flame Plant

Goeppertia crocata · also called Eternal Flame Plant, Eternal Flame Calathea · flowering

The Eternal Flame Plant (Goeppertia crocata, formerly Calathea crocata) is a tropical Marantaceae houseplant prized for upright orange flame-like bracts that last two to three months. Grow it in bright indirect light with high humidity, evenly moist filtered water, and warmth. It is pet-safe: ASPCA lists the Calathea genus as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Reluctance to rebloom: Flowering is triggered by short days. To encourage a second bloom, give it about 10 hours of light and 14 hours of complete darkness daily for 8+ weeks.

The reasons eternal flame plant isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming eternal flame plant 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 eternal flame plant 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 eternal flame plant to flower

Maximise sun. Give eternal flame plant 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 eternal flame plant and get the feeding right with the eternal flame plant 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

Eternal Flame Plant 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 eternal flame plant care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Eternal Flame Plant blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my eternal flame plant flower?

Eternal Flame Plant 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 eternal flame plant bloom?

Give eternal flame plant 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 eternal flame plant normally bloom?