Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Double Pinwheel Flower (Tabernaemontana divaricata 'Flore Pleno')— schedule & NPK
Also called Double Pinwheel Flower, Double Crape Jasmine, Crape Gardenia, Fleur d'Amour.
More about double pinwheel flower
About Double Pinwheel Flower
Tabernaemontana divaricata 'Flore Pleno' · also called Double Pinwheel Flower, Double Crape Jasmine · tropical
The showier, double-flowered cultivar of Tabernaemontana divaricata, bearing densely petalled, gardenia-like white blooms up to 4 cm across with an intensely sweet nocturnal fragrance. More compact than the species when grown in full sun. A popular container plant for patios and conservatories in temperate climates.
Growth habit: Dense, rounded, multi-stemmed evergreen shrub; more compact than the species in sunny positions
What fertiliser double pinwheel flower actually wants — and why
Double Pinwheel Flower 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 double pinwheel flower: 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 double pinwheel flower, 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 double pinwheel flower:
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser (10-10-10) from spring through late summer. In late winter, switch to a high-phosphorus bloom booster (e.g. 5-30-5) to stimulate the next flowering cycle. Withhold all fertiliser in winter when growth is minimal. 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 double pinwheel flower 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 double pinwheel flower
Half strength is the safe default for double pinwheel flower — 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 double pinwheel flower first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the double pinwheel flower watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding double pinwheel flower
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for double pinwheel flower:
- 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 double pinwheel flower
- 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 double pinwheel flower care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of double pinwheel flower 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 double pinwheel flower
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 double pinwheel flower — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does double pinwheel flower 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. Double Pinwheel Flower 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 double pinwheel flower?
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser (10-10-10) from spring through late summer. In late winter, switch to a high-phosphorus bloom booster (e.g. 5-30-5) to stimulate the next flowering cycle. Withhold all fertiliser in winter when growth is minimal. Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser (10-10-10) from spring through late summer. In late winter, switch to a high-phosphorus bloom booster (e.g. 5-30-5) to stimulate the next flowering cycle. Withhold all fertiliser in winter when growth is minimal. 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 double pinwheel flower?
Half strength is the safe default for double pinwheel flower — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding double pinwheel flower 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 double pinwheel flower 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 double pinwheel flower?
Flush the pot of double pinwheel flower 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
- Double Pinwheel Flower care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water double pinwheel flower — 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 alocasia navicularis
- How to fertilise alocasia micholitziana
- How to fertilise alocasia reginula
- All 6887 fertilising guides in the Growli library