Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Anubias barteri var. barteri (Anubias barteri var. barteri)— schedule & NPK
Also called Anubias barteri, broad-leaf Anubias.
More about anubias barteri var. barteri
About Anubias barteri var. barteri
Anubias barteri var. barteri · also called Anubias barteri, broad-leaf Anubias · tropical
Anubias barteri var. barteri is a slow-growing West African aquatic aroid prized for tough, glossy broad leaves on a creeping rhizome. It thrives attached to wood or rock under low light, drawing nutrients from the water column. Almost indestructible, it suits beginner aquascapes and tolerates herbivorous fish that ignore its leathery, bitter foliage.
Growth habit: Creeping rhizomatous aquatic herb that spreads horizontally across hardscape, sending up broad ovate leaves on sturdy petioles. Growth is very slow, often one new leaf every few weeks.
Watch for — Stunted, no new growth: Usually low water-column nutrients or no CO2. Dose a complete liquid fertiliser and be patient, as this species is naturally very slow.
What fertiliser anubias barteri var. barteri actually wants — and why
Anubias barteri var. barteri is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula.
For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for anubias barteri var. barteri: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.
How often to feed anubias barteri var. barteri, and which months
Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For anubias barteri var. barteri:
Feed primarily through the water column with a liquid aquatic fertiliser supplying potassium, iron and trace elements; root tabs help little since it feeds via the rhizome and leaves. Modest CO2 supplementation speeds its otherwise glacial growth but is not required. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when anubias barteri var. barteri is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.
What strength to mix for anubias barteri var. barteri
Half strength is the safe default for anubias barteri var. barteri — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water anubias barteri var. barteri first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the anubias barteri var. barteri watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding anubias barteri var. barteri
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for anubias barteri var. barteri:
- Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering.
- A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim.
- Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops.
- Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered.
Signs you are under-feeding anubias barteri var. barteri
- Uniformly pale or yellow-green leaves, oldest first.
- Noticeably small new leaves and stalled growth in good light and season.
- A generally tired, lacklustre look despite correct watering and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full anubias barteri var. barteri care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of anubias barteri var. barteri with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for anubias barteri var. barteri
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed, or fish emulsion if you can tolerate the smell indoors. UK: Westland or Baby Bio Organic, dilute seaweed; US: Espoma Indoor! or Neptune's Harvest fish & seaweed. Slow, gentle and hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A general-purpose houseplant liquid at half strength — UK: Baby Bio, Westland Houseplant Feed or Phostrogen; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Schultz. Convenient and fast-acting; the only risk is overdoing it.
Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.
Fertilising anubias barteri var. barteri — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does anubias barteri var. barteri need?
A balanced general houseplant feed (roughly even N-P-K) is exactly right — it is grown for foliage, so steady, moderate nitrogen for healthy leaves is the goal, not a bloom or root formula. Anubias barteri var. barteri is an easy, light foliage feeder — a half-strength balanced liquid feed through the growing months keeps it green without forcing weak, sappy growth.
How often should I feed anubias barteri var. barteri?
Feed primarily through the water column with a liquid aquatic fertiliser supplying potassium, iron and trace elements; root tabs help little since it feeds via the rhizome and leaves. Modest CO2 supplementation speeds its otherwise glacial growth but is not required. Feed primarily through the water column with a liquid aquatic fertiliser supplying potassium, iron and trace elements; root tabs help little since it feeds via the rhizome and leaves. Modest CO2 supplementation speeds its otherwise glacial growth but is not required. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September); ease off in autumn and stop entirely in the low light of winter.
What strength of feed for anubias barteri var. barteri?
Half strength is the safe default for anubias barteri var. barteri — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding anubias barteri var. barteri look like?
Brown, crispy leaf tips and edges with no sign of underwatering. A white, crusty salt deposit on the soil surface or pot rim. Weak, pale, stretched new growth that flops. Lower leaves yellow and drop while the soil is correctly watered. Feeding anubias barteri var. barteri year-round on a fixed schedule, including dark winter months, is the most common mistake — it cannot use the nutrients in low light and the surplus simply burns the roots and crusts the soil.
Should I flush the soil of anubias barteri var. barteri?
Flush the pot of anubias barteri var. barteri with plain water until it runs freely from the base every couple of months in the feeding season — it washes out the fertiliser salts that cause brown tips.
Keep reading
- Anubias barteri var. barteri care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water anubias barteri var. barteri — the watering schedule
- The houseplant fertiliser schedule — feeding through the year
- NPK ratio explained — what the three numbers on the bottle mean
- How to fertilise monstera
- How to fertilise pothos
- How to fertilise fiddle leaf fig
- All 5561 fertilising guides in the Growli library