Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Saunders' Star of Bethlehem, Chincherinchee, African Wonder Flower (Ornithogalum saundersiae).

More about giant chincherinchee

About Giant Chincherinchee

Ornithogalum saundersiae · also called Saunders' Star of Bethlehem, Chincherinchee · flowering

Giant Chincherinchee is a tall, dramatic South African Asparagaceae bulb producing large heads of pure white flowers with dark ovaries on stout stems up to 100 cm tall. It is a prized cut flower with a very long vase life. Like all Ornithogalum, it contains cardiac glycosides and is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Aphids on flower stems: Treat with insecticidal soap or a systemic insecticide before the flower buds open.

The reasons giant chincherinchee isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming giant chincherinchee 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 giant chincherinchee 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 giant chincherinchee to flower

Maximise sun. Give giant chincherinchee 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 giant chincherinchee and get the feeding right with the giant chincherinchee 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

Giant Chincherinchee 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 giant chincherinchee care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Giant Chincherinchee blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my giant chincherinchee flower?

Giant Chincherinchee 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 giant chincherinchee bloom?

Give giant chincherinchee 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 giant chincherinchee normally bloom?