Question
Dear Darlene, I have had a corn stalk house plant for about 16 years. I received it as a gift, in one of those little planters you get from the flower shop.  so it was about 8 inches high when I got it.I must have have repoted it eight times, since I've had it. It just keeps growing. About 9 or 10 years ago it bloomed. The flowers are small little clusters. About 20-24 clusters in a bloom. When night falls they all open and fill the room with a "lilac smell". Really heavy. But I love it. I have never heard of this. My question to you is, have you any experience like this?

Answer
Sallie,

I don't have a corn plant but my snake plant blooms occasionally and it has a strong heavy smell too that is beautiful. The key to getting you corn plant to bloom every year is to stop repotting it. It will bloom more if it is rootbound and it will not hurt it. Also fertilize it with a fertilizer for blooming plants and once a year about now sprinkle 1/4th cup of Epsom Salts over the soil before you water it. Epsom salts is magnesium sulfate and it will trigger blooming in blooming plants. It is used frequently on african violets but on those you only use a teaspoon. The bigger the plant the more you use, I use 1/2 cup on my tomato plants when I plant them. Try it. I hope you get a new batch of blooms.  If not this year be sure not to repot it. Good luck.

Darlene