Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Cup of gold vine (Solandra maxima)— schedule & NPK
Also called Cup of gold vine, Golden chalice vine, Chalice vine, Hawaiian lily.
More about cup of gold vine
About Cup of gold vine
Solandra maxima · also called Cup of gold vine, Golden chalice vine · tropical
Cup of gold vine is a spectacular, fast-growing evergreen climber from Mexico and Central America, bearing enormous — up to 25 cm — golden-yellow chalice-shaped flowers with a coconut fragrance and purple-striped interior. A subtropical showstopper for frost-free gardens, it quickly smothers pergolas and walls. All parts are toxic, containing tropane alkaloids. Requires heavy pruning to control vigour.
Growth habit: Vigorous, woody evergreen climbing shrub
What fertiliser cup of gold vine actually wants — and why
Cup of gold vine is a genuinely hungry tropical — in bright warmth it pushes growth fast and rewards a regular half-strength balanced feed all season.
A balanced liquid feed (even N-P-K) or a slightly nitrogen-leaning foliage feed — this is a big-leaved foliage plant putting on real size, so it wants steady nitrogen for lush leaves, not a bloom 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 cup of gold vine: 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 cup of gold vine, 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 cup of gold vine:
Apply a slow-release balanced fertiliser in spring. Feed monthly with a high-potash liquid feed during the flowering season to support the large blooms. Heavy feeders once established — do not underfeed in active growth. For a fast grower like this that means feeding regularly — about monthly — right through spring through early autumn (roughly March to September), tapering off only as light drops in autumn.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when cup of gold vine 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 cup of gold vine
Half strength every feed is the sweet spot for cup of gold vine: frequent enough to fuel fast growth, dilute enough that it never scorches even when you feed often.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water cup of gold vine first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the cup of gold vine watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding cup of gold vine
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for cup of gold vine:
- Brown, scorched leaf tips and margins despite correct watering.
- A white salt crust on the soil or around the pot edge.
- Sudden leaf yellowing and drop shortly after a strong feed.
- Soft, weak, over-stretched growth that cannot support itself.
Signs you are under-feeding cup of gold vine
- New leaves coming in noticeably smaller than older ones.
- Pale, yellow-green older leaves and slow growth through peak summer.
- A general loss of vigour and gloss in a plant that should be racing away.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full cup of gold vine care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Because you feed often, salts accumulate faster — flush the pot of cup of gold vine with plain water until it drains freely roughly every month through the feeding season to keep the root zone clean.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for cup of gold vine
Organic options
A diluted seaweed or fish-and-seaweed feed plus a yearly top-dress of worm castings supports fast growth without burn risk. UK: Westland seaweed or Baby Bio Organic; US: Neptune's Harvest or Espoma Indoor!.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A balanced houseplant liquid at half strength applied frequently — UK: Baby Bio, Phostrogen or Westland Houseplant Feed; US: Miracle-Gro Indoor Plant Food or Dyna-Gro Foliage-Pro for steady leafy growth.
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 cup of gold vine — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does cup of gold vine need?
A balanced liquid feed (even N-P-K) or a slightly nitrogen-leaning foliage feed — this is a big-leaved foliage plant putting on real size, so it wants steady nitrogen for lush leaves, not a bloom formula. Cup of gold vine is a genuinely hungry tropical — in bright warmth it pushes growth fast and rewards a regular half-strength balanced feed all season.
How often should I feed cup of gold vine?
Apply a slow-release balanced fertiliser in spring. Feed monthly with a high-potash liquid feed during the flowering season to support the large blooms. Heavy feeders once established — do not underfeed in active growth. Apply a slow-release balanced fertiliser in spring. Feed monthly with a high-potash liquid feed during the flowering season to support the large blooms. Heavy feeders once established — do not underfeed in active growth. For a fast grower like this that means feeding regularly — about monthly — right through spring through early autumn (roughly March to September), tapering off only as light drops in autumn.
What strength of feed for cup of gold vine?
Half strength every feed is the sweet spot for cup of gold vine: frequent enough to fuel fast growth, dilute enough that it never scorches even when you feed often.
What does over-feeding cup of gold vine look like?
Brown, scorched leaf tips and margins despite correct watering. A white salt crust on the soil or around the pot edge. Sudden leaf yellowing and drop shortly after a strong feed. Soft, weak, over-stretched growth that cannot support itself. The mistake here is the opposite of most houseplants: under-feeding a fast tropical in peak season starves it, leaving small, pale new leaves and slow growth — but full-strength doses still burn it, so feed often and weak, not occasionally and strong.
Should I flush the soil of cup of gold vine?
Because you feed often, salts accumulate faster — flush the pot of cup of gold vine with plain water until it drains freely roughly every month through the feeding season to keep the root zone clean.
Keep reading
- Cup of gold vine care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water cup of gold vine — 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 colocasia 'pink china'
- How to fertilise philodendron silver sword
- How to fertilise philodendron billietiae
- All 6887 fertilising guides in the Growli library