Getting it to bloom

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

Also called miniature goldfish plant, Wettstein's nematanthus (Nematanthus wettsteinii).

More about nematanthus wettsteinii

About Nematanthus wettsteinii

Nematanthus wettsteinii · also called miniature goldfish plant, Wettstein's nematanthus · flowering

Nematanthus wettsteinii is the classic miniature goldfish plant, a Brazilian gesneriad with small, thick, glossy dark-green leaves on slender trailing stems and abundant pouched orange-and-yellow flowers shaped like tiny goldfish. Easy and long-flowering, it thrives in a bright window or basket with warmth, a free-draining mix, and watering once the surface dries.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Leggy growth: Too little light. Move it brighter and pinch the stem tips regularly to keep the plant bushy and free-flowering.

The reasons nematanthus wettsteinii isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming nematanthus wettsteinii 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 nematanthus wettsteinii 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 nematanthus wettsteinii to flower

Maximise sun. Give nematanthus wettsteinii 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 nematanthus wettsteinii and get the feeding right with the nematanthus wettsteinii 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

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

Nematanthus wettsteinii blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my nematanthus wettsteinii flower?

Nematanthus wettsteinii 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 nematanthus wettsteinii bloom?

Give nematanthus wettsteinii 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 nematanthus wettsteinii normally bloom?