Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Schizanthus pinnatus 'Angel Wings' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Angel Wings Poor Man's Orchid, Butterfly Flower (Schizanthus pinnatus 'Angel Wings').

More about schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings'

About Schizanthus pinnatus 'Angel Wings'

Schizanthus pinnatus 'Angel Wings' · also called Angel Wings Poor Man's Orchid, Butterfly Flower · flowering

'Angel Wings' is a cool-season annual prized for its profusion of orchid-like, intricately marked flowers in pinks, purples and whites above fern-like foliage. A member of the nightshade family, it thrives in cool, bright conditions and rich, moist soil, excelling as a spring bedding or greenhouse pot plant. Its seeds are reported toxic, so keep pets away.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Heat-induced decline: Plants collapse and stop flowering in hot weather. Grow as a cool-season plant and provide shade and ventilation in warm spells.

The reasons schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' 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 schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' 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 schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' to flower

Maximise sun. Give schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' 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 schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' and get the feeding right with the schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' 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

Schizanthus pinnatus 'Angel Wings' 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 schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Schizanthus pinnatus 'Angel Wings' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' flower?

Schizanthus pinnatus 'Angel Wings' 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 schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' bloom?

Give schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' 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 schizanthus pinnatus 'angel wings' normally bloom?