Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Eccremocarpus scaber bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Chilean glory flower, Chilean glory vine (Eccremocarpus scaber).

More about eccremocarpus scaber

About Eccremocarpus scaber

Eccremocarpus scaber · also called Chilean glory flower, Chilean glory vine · flowering

Eccremocarpus scaber, the Chilean glory flower, is a fast, evergreen-to-herbaceous tendril climber bearing tubular orange-red (sometimes yellow or pink) flowers from late spring to autumn. Often grown as a half-hardy annual in cooler areas, it climbs by leaf tendrils and quickly clothes trellis or wires in a sheltered, sunny spot. It is much loved by bees.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Poor flowering in shade: Too little sun gives lush leaves but few flowers. Site in a full-sun, sheltered position and feed with a high-potash fertiliser.

The reasons eccremocarpus scaber isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming eccremocarpus scaber 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 eccremocarpus scaber 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 eccremocarpus scaber to flower

Maximise sun. Give eccremocarpus scaber 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 eccremocarpus scaber and get the feeding right with the eccremocarpus scaber 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

Eccremocarpus scaber 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 eccremocarpus scaber care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Eccremocarpus scaber blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my eccremocarpus scaber flower?

Eccremocarpus scaber 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 eccremocarpus scaber bloom?

Give eccremocarpus scaber 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 eccremocarpus scaber normally bloom?