Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Crassula Capitella (Crassula capitella)— schedule & NPK
Also called red pagoda, campfire plant, sharks tooth.
More about crassula capitella
About Crassula Capitella
Crassula capitella · also called red pagoda, campfire plant · houseplant
Crassula capitella, the red pagoda or campfire plant, is a low South African succulent whose stacked, propeller-like leaves blaze from lime-green to fiery red in strong sun. It spreads into a fleshy mat, needs gritty fast-draining soil and minimal water, and bears spikes of small white flowers. Heat- and drought-tolerant, but toxic to pets.
Growth habit: Low, spreading succulent forming sprawling mats of stacked, triangular leaves on short stems. Branches root where they touch soil and send up tall spikes of tiny white summer flowers.
What fertiliser crassula capitella actually wants — and why
Crassula Capitella 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 crassula capitella: 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 crassula capitella, 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 crassula capitella:
Feed sparingly, about every 4-6 weeks in spring and summer with a dilute succulent or balanced fertiliser. Do not feed in autumn or winter; this lean-living succulent needs very little supplemental nutrition. Keep that to every 4-6 weeks 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 crassula capitella 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 crassula capitella
Quarter to half strength at most for crassula capitella. 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 crassula capitella first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the crassula capitella watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding crassula capitella
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for crassula capitella:
- 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 crassula capitella
- 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 crassula capitella 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 crassula capitella until it drains clear, and refresh the gritty mix every 2-3 years.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for crassula capitella
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 crassula capitella — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does crassula capitella 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. Crassula Capitella 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 crassula capitella?
Feed sparingly, about every 4-6 weeks in spring and summer with a dilute succulent or balanced fertiliser. Do not feed in autumn or winter; this lean-living succulent needs very little supplemental nutrition. Feed sparingly, about every 4-6 weeks in spring and summer with a dilute succulent or balanced fertiliser. Do not feed in autumn or winter; this lean-living succulent needs very little supplemental nutrition. Keep that to every 4-6 weeks between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September) and stop entirely once growth slows for winter.
What strength of feed for crassula capitella?
Quarter to half strength at most for crassula capitella. Succulents take up very little, and a strong dose burns the fine roots before the plant can use it.
What does over-feeding crassula capitella 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 crassula capitella 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 crassula capitella?
Feed lightly enough and you rarely need to flush, but once a year run plain water through the pot of crassula capitella until it drains clear, and refresh the gritty mix every 2-3 years.
Keep reading
- Crassula Capitella care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water crassula capitella — 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 3899 fertilising guides in the Growli library