Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Angel Wing Begonia 'Lucerna' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Cane Begonia (Begonia coccinea 'Lucerna').

More about angel wing begonia 'lucerna'

About Angel Wing Begonia 'Lucerna'

Begonia coccinea 'Lucerna' · also called Cane Begonia · flowering

'Lucerna' is a vigorous cane begonia with tall bamboo-like stems and large angel-wing leaves, deep green and silver-spotted above with red undersides. It produces big pendant clusters of coral-pink flowers nearly year-round in good light, growing upright to a metre or more, making it a classic, free-flowering houseplant or conservatory specimen.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Bud or flower drop: Sudden environmental swings, drafts, or dry soil cause buds to fall; keep watering and warmth steady.

The reasons angel wing begonia 'lucerna' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming angel wing begonia 'lucerna' 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 angel wing begonia 'lucerna' 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 angel wing begonia 'lucerna' to flower

Maximise sun. Give angel wing begonia 'lucerna' 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 angel wing begonia 'lucerna' and get the feeding right with the angel wing begonia 'lucerna' 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

Angel Wing Begonia 'Lucerna' 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 angel wing begonia 'lucerna' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Angel Wing Begonia 'Lucerna' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my angel wing begonia 'lucerna' flower?

Angel Wing Begonia 'Lucerna' 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 angel wing begonia 'lucerna' bloom?

Give angel wing begonia 'lucerna' 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 angel wing begonia 'lucerna' normally bloom?