Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Episcia 'Pink Acajou' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Pink Acajou Flame Violet (Episcia cupreata 'Pink Acajou').

More about episcia 'pink acajou'

About Episcia 'Pink Acajou'

Episcia cupreata 'Pink Acajou' · also called Pink Acajou Flame Violet · flowering

Episcia 'Pink Acajou' is a trailing flame violet prized for its coppery-pink, silver-veined quilted leaves as much as its small tubular blooms. A warmth- and humidity-loving gesneriad, it spreads by runners into a low mat, makes a fine hanging or terrarium plant, and resents cold and dryness. ASPCA-listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons episcia 'pink acajou' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming episcia 'pink acajou' 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 episcia 'pink acajou' 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 episcia 'pink acajou' to flower

Maximise sun. Give episcia 'pink acajou' 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 episcia 'pink acajou' and get the feeding right with the episcia 'pink acajou' 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

Episcia 'Pink Acajou' 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 episcia 'pink acajou' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Episcia 'Pink Acajou' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my episcia 'pink acajou' flower?

Episcia 'Pink Acajou' 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 episcia 'pink acajou' bloom?

Give episcia 'pink acajou' 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 episcia 'pink acajou' normally bloom?