Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Large-Flowered Kohleria bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Large-Flowered Kohleria, Kohleria (Kohleria grandiflora).

More about large-flowered kohleria

About Large-Flowered Kohleria

Kohleria grandiflora · also called Large-Flowered Kohleria, Kohleria · flowering

A velvety-leaved Gesneriaceae from Colombia and Ecuador, Kohleria grandiflora produces tubular red flowers with yellow-spotted throats from spring through autumn. Grow it in bright indirect light with high humidity and consistently moist, well-drained soil. Rhizomes allow short dry spells but dislike cold. Near year-round blooms are possible under grow lights.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Bud drop or failure to bloom: Usually caused by temperatures below 16°C (60°F) or sudden cold draughts. Keep away from windows in winter and avoid air-conditioning vents.

The reasons large-flowered kohleria isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming large-flowered kohleria 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 large-flowered kohleria 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 large-flowered kohleria to flower

Maximise sun. Give large-flowered kohleria 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 large-flowered kohleria and get the feeding right with the large-flowered kohleria 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

Large-Flowered Kohleria 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 large-flowered kohleria care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Large-Flowered Kohleria blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my large-flowered kohleria flower?

Large-Flowered Kohleria 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 large-flowered kohleria bloom?

Give large-flowered kohleria 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 large-flowered kohleria normally bloom?