Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Arabian Jasmine (Jasminum sambac)— schedule & NPK
Also called Arabian Jasmine, Sampaguita, Mogra.
More about arabian jasmine
About Arabian Jasmine
Jasminum sambac · also called Arabian Jasmine, Sampaguita · flowering
Arabian jasmine is a tender evergreen scrambling shrub or short climber grown for its waxy white, powerfully fragrant flowers that open in the evening and are used in garlands, teas and perfumes. The national flower of the Philippines and Indonesia, it loves heat and humidity and is best grown in containers and overwintered indoors in cool climates.
Growth habit: Bushy, scrambling evergreen shrub or lax climber that can be trained on a small trellis or grown as a rounded container plant. Flowers repeatedly in warm weather, with single or double waxy white blooms that yield evening fragrance. Pinch and prune after flushes to keep it compact and floriferous.
Watch for — Sparse flowering: Too little light or cool conditions limit blooms. Give maximum sun and warmth, feed with high-potash fertiliser, and prune lightly after each flush to stimulate new flowering wood.
What fertiliser arabian jasmine actually wants — and why
Arabian Jasmine is an acid-loving plant — it can only take up nutrients in acidic soil, so the feed itself matters less than using an ericaceous formula and never liming.
An ericaceous (acidic) fertiliser, formulated to keep the soil pH low and supply iron and trace elements in a form acid-loving roots can absorb. Ordinary feeds and any lime lock out iron and yellow the leaves.
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 arabian jasmine: 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 arabian jasmine, 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 arabian jasmine:
Feed every 2-4 weeks through spring and summer with a balanced or slightly high-potash fertiliser to fuel repeated flushes of bloom. An acidifying or ericaceous feed helps if leaves yellow. Reduce or stop feeding in winter when growth and flowering pause. In practice: an ericaceous feed in spring as growth resumes, repeated through the main growing months; never apply lime, bonemeal or wood ash, which raise pH.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when arabian jasmine 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 arabian jasmine
Follow the ericaceous product's own rate — these are formulated for the plant, so the dilution on the label is right for arabian jasmine. The variable that actually matters is pH, not concentration.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water arabian jasmine first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the arabian jasmine watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding arabian jasmine
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for arabian jasmine:
- Brown, scorched leaf margins from too strong or too frequent a dose.
- White salt crust on the soil surface.
- Soft, lush growth that fruits or flowers poorly.
Signs you are under-feeding arabian jasmine
- Yellowing leaves with green veins (iron chlorosis from high pH).
- Weak growth, poor cropping and an overall pale, stressed look.
- Stunted new shoots in spring despite adequate water and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full arabian jasmine care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush arabian jasmine with rainwater (not hard tap water, which raises pH) if salts build up; better still, mulch with pine needles or composted bark and water with rainwater to hold the acidity.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for arabian jasmine
Organic options
Composted pine bark, pine-needle mulch, used coffee grounds and an organic ericaceous feed gently maintain acidity. UK: Vitax or Westland Ericaceous; US: Espoma Holly-tone or Dr. Earth Acid Lovers. Slow, soil-improving, hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A liquid or granular ericaceous feed — UK: Miracle-Gro Ericaceous, Vitax or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro Acid-Loving Plant Food or Espoma Holly-tone. Pair with rainwater and an acidic mulch for it to work.
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 arabian jasmine — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does arabian jasmine need?
An ericaceous (acidic) fertiliser, formulated to keep the soil pH low and supply iron and trace elements in a form acid-loving roots can absorb. Ordinary feeds and any lime lock out iron and yellow the leaves. Arabian Jasmine is an acid-loving plant — it can only take up nutrients in acidic soil, so the feed itself matters less than using an ericaceous formula and never liming.
How often should I feed arabian jasmine?
Feed every 2-4 weeks through spring and summer with a balanced or slightly high-potash fertiliser to fuel repeated flushes of bloom. An acidifying or ericaceous feed helps if leaves yellow. Reduce or stop feeding in winter when growth and flowering pause. Feed every 2-4 weeks through spring and summer with a balanced or slightly high-potash fertiliser to fuel repeated flushes of bloom. An acidifying or ericaceous feed helps if leaves yellow. Reduce or stop feeding in winter when growth and flowering pause. In practice: an ericaceous feed in spring as growth resumes, repeated through the main growing months; never apply lime, bonemeal or wood ash, which raise pH.
What strength of feed for arabian jasmine?
Follow the ericaceous product's own rate — these are formulated for the plant, so the dilution on the label is right for arabian jasmine. The variable that actually matters is pH, not concentration.
What does over-feeding arabian jasmine look like?
Brown, scorched leaf margins from too strong or too frequent a dose. White salt crust on the soil surface. Soft, lush growth that fruits or flowers poorly. Feeding arabian jasmine an ordinary fertiliser, or growing it in hard tap water / limey soil, is the defining mistake — it triggers lime-induced chlorosis (yellow leaves, green veins) no amount of feeding fixes until the pH comes down.
Should I flush the soil of arabian jasmine?
Flush arabian jasmine with rainwater (not hard tap water, which raises pH) if salts build up; better still, mulch with pine needles or composted bark and water with rainwater to hold the acidity.
Keep reading
- Arabian Jasmine care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water arabian jasmine — 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 peace lily
- How to fertilise bird of paradise
- How to fertilise hoya
- All 1284 fertilising guides in the Growli library