Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Lycaste aromatica bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Fragrant Lycaste, Cinnamon Orchid (Lycaste aromatica).

More about lycaste aromatica

About Lycaste aromatica

Lycaste aromatica · also called Fragrant Lycaste, Cinnamon Orchid · flowering

Lycaste aromatica is a Central American orchid famed for waxy, bright yellow flowers that smell strongly of cinnamon, appearing in numbers from the base of leafless pseudobulbs in spring. It is deciduous, dropping its broad pleated leaves before flowering and taking a cool, drier winter rest. Grown cool to intermediate, it is showy and reliably fragrant.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — No flowers: Skipping the cool, drier winter rest after leaf drop prevents bud formation; give a distinct cooler, drier dormancy to trigger the fragrant spring blooms.

The reasons lycaste aromatica isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming lycaste aromatica 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 lycaste aromatica 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 lycaste aromatica to flower

Maximise sun. Give lycaste aromatica 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 lycaste aromatica and get the feeding right with the lycaste aromatica 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

Lycaste aromatica 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 lycaste aromatica care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Lycaste aromatica blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my lycaste aromatica flower?

Lycaste aromatica 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 lycaste aromatica bloom?

Give lycaste aromatica 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 lycaste aromatica normally bloom?