- Reason 1: Unsuitable location
- Reason 2: Insufficient or wrong fertilization
- Reason 3: Wrong watering
The single leaf (Spathiphyllum) is a plant from the South American tropics that is very popular with us as a houseplant. The plant is valued for its large, glossy, dark green leaves, but most of all for its mostly white to cream-colored flowers. These are very characteristically shaped and consist of a kind of piston (the actual flower) and a bract that is supposed to attract pollinating insects. If the blossom, which usually appears twice a year, does not appear, this can have various causes.
The fact that the single leaf does not bloom can have various reasons
Reason 1: Unsuitable location
One possible reason - and probably the most common - is location. Although the single leaf is unanimously described as tolerant of shade and also thrives in dark locations, it usually does not bloom there. The plant needs sufficient light to develop a flower, but it should never be exposed to the blazing sun - after all, it is a rainforest plant that grows in its homeland in the light shade of the jungle trees. So if you suspect that the lack of flowering is due to a lack of light, it is better to put the single sheet in a brighter place - even a few centimeters can sometimes work wonders.
Reason 2: Insufficient or wrong fertilization
Incorrect or insufficient fertilization can also lead to the single leaf not blooming. As a typical rainforest plant, Spathiphyllum has a high nutrient requirement, although you should not be too wasteful, especially with nitrogen. Nitrogen promotes leaf growth, which in turn occurs at the expense of flowering. As a result, of course, there is no flowering, while the foliage grows lush and green. It is therefore best to fertilize the single leaf with a fertilizer for flowering plants and avoid universal or potted plant fertilizers. Even blue grain is not suitable! From time to time, however, some coffee grounds are excellent for the single sheet.
Reason 3: Wrong watering
Another mistake that the single leaf punishes with a lack of flowering is watering with cold tap water. There is neither cold nor hard (i.e. calcareous) water in the rainforest, because the rain that falls there is free of lime (and therefore soft) and warm. So always wash the single leaf with warm and soft water.
tips
Abundant flowering also stimulates this care behavior: Water Spathiphyllum very sparingly for a few weeks in winter and do not use fertilizer. Then water the plant thoroughly and fertilize vigorously - after a short time many new flowers will form.