Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Calathea Loeseneri (Brazilian Star) bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Brazilian star calathea, Calathea loeseneri (Goeppertia loeseneri).

More about calathea loeseneri (brazilian star)

About Calathea Loeseneri (Brazilian Star)

Goeppertia loeseneri · also called Brazilian star calathea, Calathea loeseneri · flowering

Calathea loeseneri, the Brazilian star, is one of the few prayer plants grown as much for its starry pink-white blooms as its long, narrow green leaves. Native to Amazonian rainforests, it craves warmth, humidity, and dappled light. Pet-safe and foliage-friendly, it flowers more readily than most calatheas in good conditions.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to flower: Usually insufficient light or low humidity. Provide bright indirect light, keep humidity above 60%, and feed regularly in the growing season.

The reasons calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) 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 calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) 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 calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) to flower

Maximise sun. Give calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) 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 calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) and get the feeding right with the calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) 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

Calathea Loeseneri (Brazilian Star) 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 calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Calathea Loeseneri (Brazilian Star) blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) flower?

Calathea Loeseneri (Brazilian Star) 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 calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) bloom?

Give calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) 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 calathea loeseneri (brazilian star) normally bloom?