Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Crape Jasmine (Tabernaemontana coronaria)— schedule & NPK
Also called Crape Jasmine, Carnation of India, Adam's Apple, Wax Flower.
More about crape jasmine
About Crape Jasmine
Tabernaemontana coronaria · also called Crape Jasmine, Carnation of India · tropical
A lush, fragrant evergreen shrub from South Asia closely allied to T. divaricata, bearing waxy white flowers with gently crimped petals resembling crepe paper. Blooms near-continuously in warm climates. Well suited to tropical gardens, conservatories, and large containers. Fragrance intensifies after dark.
Growth habit: Dense, rounded, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub
Watch for — Failure to flower: Insufficient light is the primary cause. Move to a brighter position with at least 4 hours of indirect sun. Overfertilising with nitrogen encourages leafy growth at the expense of blooms; balance with phosphorus feeding.
What fertiliser crape jasmine actually wants — and why
Crape Jasmine 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 crape 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 crape 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 crape jasmine:
Apply a balanced fertiliser (NPK 10-10-10) monthly from spring through summer. After the main flowering flush, switch to a phosphorus-rich formula to promote bud set. Withhold feeding in winter when growth slows. Treat that as monthly 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 crape 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 crape jasmine
Half strength is the safe default for crape jasmine — 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 crape jasmine first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the crape jasmine watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding crape jasmine
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for crape jasmine:
- 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 crape jasmine
- 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 crape jasmine care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of crape jasmine 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 crape jasmine
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 crape jasmine — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does crape jasmine 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. Crape Jasmine 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 crape jasmine?
Apply a balanced fertiliser (NPK 10-10-10) monthly from spring through summer. After the main flowering flush, switch to a phosphorus-rich formula to promote bud set. Withhold feeding in winter when growth slows. Apply a balanced fertiliser (NPK 10-10-10) monthly from spring through summer. After the main flowering flush, switch to a phosphorus-rich formula to promote bud set. Withhold feeding in winter when growth slows. Treat that as monthly 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 crape jasmine?
Half strength is the safe default for crape jasmine — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding crape jasmine 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 crape jasmine 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 crape jasmine?
Flush the pot of crape jasmine 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
- Crape Jasmine care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water crape 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 quesnel's bromeliad
- How to fertilise field quesnelia
- How to fertilise ridley's hohenbergia
- All 6887 fertilising guides in the Growli library