A flowering houseplant that will not bloom again is usually missing a trigger. The trigger differs by plant: some need more light, some need long nights, and some need a cool spell.
Below are eight popular bloomers and what the extension sources say each one needs. Only two have a source saying they can flower through much of the year. We say so plant by plant rather than promising year-round colour.
The triggers at a glance
| Plant | What triggers flowering | When to act | Pets (ASPCA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| African violet | Enough light: 14–16 hours of light, 8–10 of darkness | All year | Non-toxic |
| Moth orchid | Bright light plus cooler nights | Late summer to autumn | Non-toxic |
| Holiday cactus | Short days and cool nights | Autumn, about 6 weeks | Non-toxic |
| Kalanchoe | Long nights (14 hours) | From October, 6 weeks | Toxic |
| Poinsettia | Long, uninterrupted nights | Late September or early October | Toxic (mild) |
| Amaryllis | Cool rest at 10–13 °C (50–55 °F) | Autumn, 8–10 weeks | Toxic |
| Peace lily | Enough indirect light | All year; mostly spring and summer | Toxic |
| Anthurium | Bright indirect light, warmth, feeding | All year | Toxic |
Plants that can flower repeatedly
African violet
The University of Minnesota says African violets “bloom several times a year when cared for properly.” The key is light. Plants need 14 to 16 hours of light and 8 to 10 hours of darkness daily to flower. A bright, cool spot by a north, northwest or northeast window works; grow lights can replace or add to daylight.
Keep the room at 16–27 °C (60–80 °F), ideally 21 °C (70 °F). If leaves grow long and narrow and no flowers appear, Minnesota says the plant needs more light and is too cool. NC State adds that the plant needs a highly fertile mix for continued rebloom. See our African violet care guide.
Anthurium
The RHS says anthurium spathes appear “throughout the year,” each lasting several weeks. NC State says the plant blooms multiple times a year in the proper conditions, and each flower lasts up to 4 weeks. Both recommend bright, indirect light. The RHS gives 18–30 °C (65–86 °F). NC State says insufficient light or nutrient deficiencies reduce flowering.
Peace lily
NC State says peace lily has “no specific bloom time, but flower[s] freely.” The RHS says flowers come mainly in spring and summer and last several months before fading to green. Light is the usual limit. The RHS says plants in deep shade “will rarely flower,” and that failure to flower is often due to insufficient light. See why your peace lily won’t bloom.
Plants that need a cool spell
Moth orchid (Phalaenopsis)
NC State says moth orchids “flower repeatedly once a year with proper care.” Flowers can last four months or more. The large-flowered white types that bloom in spring need a nighttime chill of about 13 °C (55 °F) for a week in autumn to start flower spikes. Modern dwarf hybrids bred from summer-flowering species do not need the chill.
Iowa State calls a day-to-night drop of about 6–8 °C (10–15 °F) “essential for flowering and growth,” and says cooler late-summer nights help trigger blooms. Light matters too: plants with too little light turn dark green and do not flower. After the last flower fades, NC State suggests cutting the stalk just above a node, which often branches with more flowers.
Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)
Iowa State says bulbs must spend at least 8 to 10 weeks at 10–13 °C (50–55 °F) to bloom again. After flowering, cut the stalk 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) above the bulb and grow the leaves on in a sunny window to rebuild the bulb. In late September, either:
- withhold water in a cool, semi-dark place until the leaves brown, then store the bulb at 10–13 °C, or
- keep it growing in a well-lit room at 10–13 °C.
Then move it to 21–24 °C (70–75 °F) in good light and resume watering. NC State says the blooms last three to four weeks.
Short-day plants: they need long, dark nights
University of Illinois Extension warns that flowering in some plants depends on day length. Keep that in mind before adding grow lights or leaving lamps on near these plants.
Holiday cactus (Christmas and Thanksgiving cactus)
Minnesota Extension says holiday cacti are short-day plants that also need cool nights. Christmas and Thanksgiving cacti bloom after about 6 weeks of short days.
- With nights of 13 °C (55 °F), they bloom in about 5–6 weeks, sometimes regardless of day length.
- With nights of 16–18 °C (60–65 °F), they need at least 12 hours of complete darkness every night for about 6 weeks. NC State gives at least 13 uninterrupted dark hours.
- With nights above 18 °C (65 °F), they are unlikely to bloom.
Once buds form, avoid moving the plant. Minnesota lists drafts and sudden changes in temperature or humidity as causes of bud drop.
Kalanchoe
Iowa State says kalanchoe needs long nights to set buds. From October, keep it in a room where the lights are not turned on at night. Six weeks of 14-hour nights are required, with 18–21 °C (65–70 °F) by day and 16–18 °C (60–65 °F) at night. NC State adds 6 to 8 hours of bright light daily. Iowa State notes that reblooming is difficult for some growers.
Poinsettia
The coloured “flowers” are bracts, which Minnesota says change colour in response to shorter days. Iowa State gives complete darkness from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. from early October until the bracts colour, usually early December. Most varieties need 8 to 10 weeks of short days. Minnesota and NC State give 16 hours of uninterrupted darkness and 8 hours of bright light daily from late September, with night temperatures in the low 60s °F (about 16–17 °C).
Any light during the dark period, even briefly, can delay or prevent colour. A closet or a cardboard box with the gaps covered works.
General rules for every flowering plant
- Light first. Minnesota (African violet), Iowa State (orchids) and the RHS (peace lily) each name too little light as a reason for no flowers.
- Cooler nights. University of Maryland Extension says flowering houseplants grow best at night temperatures of 13–16 °C (55–60 °F). It adds that keeping nights about 6–8 °C (10–15 °F) cooler than days intensifies flower colour and prolongs flower life.
- No drafts or heat vents. Maryland says flowering varieties are especially sensitive to drafts and heat from registers.
- Check pets. Four of the eight are toxic. The ASPCA calls poinsettia “generally over-rated in toxicity,” but kalanchoe, amaryllis, peace lily and anthurium all carry toxic principles. See our toxic plants guide and pet-safe plants guide.
References
- University of Minnesota Extension: Growing African violets
- University of Minnesota Extension: Holiday cacti
- University of Minnesota Extension: Poinsettias
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: Growing Orchids Indoors
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: How do I care for Kalanchoe?
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: I saved last year’s poinsettia. How do I get it to flower for Christmas?
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: All About Amaryllis
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Streptocarpus ionanthus, Phalaenopsis, Schlumbergera truncata, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Hippeastrum, Spathiphyllum, Anthurium andraeanum
- Royal Horticultural Society: How to grow peace lilies and How to grow anthuriums
- University of Illinois Extension: Houseplants: Lighting
- University of Maryland Extension: Temperature and Humidity for Indoor Plants
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: African Violet, Phalaenopsis Orchid, Christmas Cactus, Kalanchoe, Poinsettia, Amaryllis, Peace Lily, Flamingo Flower