Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Moonflower, Moon vine, Tropical white morning glory (Ipomoea alba).

More about moonflower

About Moonflower

Ipomoea alba · also called Moonflower, Moon vine · flowering

Moonflower is a fast-growing night-blooming vine producing large, intensely fragrant white flowers up to 6 inches across that open at dusk. Grow in full sun on a sturdy support. Treat as an annual in temperate climates; seeds require nicking before sowing. Keep away from pets — seeds contain hallucinogenic indole alkaloids.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Poor or absent flowering: Almost always caused by excess nitrogen, insufficient sun, or soil that is too rich. Switch to a low-nitrogen fertiliser and ensure a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun.

The reasons moonflower isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming moonflower 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 moonflower 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 moonflower to flower

Maximise sun. Give moonflower 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 moonflower and get the feeding right with the moonflower 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

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

Moonflower blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my moonflower flower?

Moonflower 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 moonflower bloom?

Give moonflower 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 moonflower normally bloom?