Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Anubias hastifolia (Anubias hastifolia)— schedule & NPK
Also called spear-leaf Anubias, tall Anubias.
More about anubias hastifolia
About Anubias hastifolia
Anubias hastifolia · also called spear-leaf Anubias, tall Anubias · tropical
Anubias hastifolia is a large African aquatic aroid recognised by arrow- or spear-shaped leaves with distinct basal lobes on long petioles. A bold background plant for sizeable aquariums and paludariums, it is hardy and slow-growing, attached to wood or rock and fed from the water column under low to moderate light.
Growth habit: Large creeping rhizomatous aquatic herb that sends up tall, arrowhead-shaped leaves on long petioles. Slow but eventually imposing, it needs room and suits big-tank backgrounds and paludariums.
What fertiliser anubias hastifolia actually wants — and why
Anubias hastifolia 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 hastifolia: 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 hastifolia, 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 hastifolia:
Feed through the water column with a complete liquid aquatic fertiliser supplying iron, potassium and trace elements. Root tabs help little. CO2 supplementation increases growth rate and leaf size on this larger species. 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 hastifolia 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 hastifolia
Half strength is the safe default for anubias hastifolia — 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 hastifolia first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the anubias hastifolia watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding anubias hastifolia
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for anubias hastifolia:
- 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 hastifolia
- 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 hastifolia care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of anubias hastifolia 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 hastifolia
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 hastifolia — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does anubias hastifolia 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 hastifolia 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 hastifolia?
Feed through the water column with a complete liquid aquatic fertiliser supplying iron, potassium and trace elements. Root tabs help little. CO2 supplementation increases growth rate and leaf size on this larger species. Feed through the water column with a complete liquid aquatic fertiliser supplying iron, potassium and trace elements. Root tabs help little. CO2 supplementation increases growth rate and leaf size on this larger species. 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 hastifolia?
Half strength is the safe default for anubias hastifolia — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding anubias hastifolia 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 hastifolia 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 hastifolia?
Flush the pot of anubias hastifolia 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 hastifolia care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water anubias hastifolia — 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