Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Bear Paw (Cotyledon tomentosa)— schedule & NPK
Also called Bear Paw, Bear's Paw, Bear Paw Succulent, Bear's Paw Succulent.
More about bear paw
About Bear Paw
Cotyledon tomentosa · also called Bear Paw, Bear's Paw · houseplant
Bear Paw (Cotyledon tomentosa) is a small South African succulent with plump, fuzzy green leaves tipped by tooth-like red "claws." Give it bright light, gritty fast-draining soil, and soak-and-dry watering. It is not ASPCA-listed but the Cotyledon genus contains cardiac-glycoside toxins, so treat as toxic to pets.
Growth habit: Slow-growing, shrubby, upright-to-branching succulent forming clusters of fuzzy, fleshy oval leaves edged with reddish-brown "claws" at the tips. Mature plants can produce tall stalks of orange, bell-shaped flowers in spring.
Watch for — Etiolation (stretching): In low light the stems elongate, leaves space out, and growth becomes pale and floppy. Move to a brighter spot with 6+ hours of light to keep the rosettes compact.
What fertiliser bear paw actually wants — and why
Bear Paw is a light-feeding succulent — a gentle, low-nitrogen feed a few times in growth keeps it plump without forcing the weak, stretched growth over-feeding causes.
A cactus and succulent formula or a diluted balanced feed with modest, even numbers. Avoid high-nitrogen plant foods — they make a succulent etiolate and grow soft, fracture-prone tissue.
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 bear paw: 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 bear paw, 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 bear paw:
Feed lightly during the spring-summer growing season with a balanced, water-soluble fertiliser diluted to half strength, about once or twice a month (or a low-nitrogen succulent feed). Do not fertilise in autumn and winter when growth slows. Keep that to sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September) and stop entirely once growth slows for winter.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when bear paw 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 bear paw
Quarter to half strength at most for bear paw. Succulents take up very little, and a strong dose burns the fine roots before the plant can use it.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water bear paw first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the bear paw watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding bear paw
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for bear paw:
- Stretched, leggy, pale growth with widely spaced leaves.
- A white salt crust on the soil or around the pot rim.
- Brown, crisped leaf tips and edges.
- Soft, mushy tissue at the base — over-feeding plus damp soil rots it.
Signs you are under-feeding bear paw
- Uncommon — succulents tolerate lean conditions well.
- Very slow growth and dull, faded colour over a long period.
- Older leaves shed faster than new ones replace them in a tired old mix.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full bear paw care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Feed lightly enough and you rarely need to flush, but once a year run plain water through the pot of bear paw until it drains clear, and refresh the gritty mix every 2-3 years.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for bear paw
Organic options
A heavily diluted seaweed or worm-casting feed once or twice in summer. UK: a drop of Westland seaweed feed; US: quarter-strength Espoma Cactus! or Dr. Earth liquid. Fresh free-draining mix matters more than any feed.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A dedicated cactus/succulent liquid at quarter to half strength — UK: Baby Bio Cacti & Succulent Drip Feeders or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro Succulent Plant Food or Schultz Cactus Plus.
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 bear paw — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does bear paw need?
A cactus and succulent formula or a diluted balanced feed with modest, even numbers. Avoid high-nitrogen plant foods — they make a succulent etiolate and grow soft, fracture-prone tissue. Bear Paw is a light-feeding succulent — a gentle, low-nitrogen feed a few times in growth keeps it plump without forcing the weak, stretched growth over-feeding causes.
How often should I feed bear paw?
Feed lightly during the spring-summer growing season with a balanced, water-soluble fertiliser diluted to half strength, about once or twice a month (or a low-nitrogen succulent feed). Do not fertilise in autumn and winter when growth slows. Feed lightly during the spring-summer growing season with a balanced, water-soluble fertiliser diluted to half strength, about once or twice a month (or a low-nitrogen succulent feed). Do not fertilise in autumn and winter when growth slows. Keep that to sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September) and stop entirely once growth slows for winter.
What strength of feed for bear paw?
Quarter to half strength at most for bear paw. Succulents take up very little, and a strong dose burns the fine roots before the plant can use it.
What does over-feeding bear paw look like?
Stretched, leggy, pale growth with widely spaced leaves. A white salt crust on the soil or around the pot rim. Brown, crisped leaf tips and edges. Soft, mushy tissue at the base — over-feeding plus damp soil rots it. Feeding bear paw like a leafy houseplant is the classic error — it produces a flush of pale, stretched, floppy growth that never firms up and is prone to rot at the base.
Should I flush the soil of bear paw?
Feed lightly enough and you rarely need to flush, but once a year run plain water through the pot of bear paw until it drains clear, and refresh the gritty mix every 2-3 years.
Keep reading
- Bear Paw care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water bear paw — 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 snake plant
- How to fertilise dracaena
- How to fertilise peperomia
- All 609 fertilising guides in the Growli library