Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Dragon's tongue (Hemigraphis repanda)— schedule & NPK
Also called Dragon's tongue, Dragon's tongue plant, Red ivy (genus name).
More about dragon's tongue
About Dragon's tongue
Hemigraphis repanda · also called Dragon's tongue, Dragon's tongue plant · tropical
Dragon's tongue (Hemigraphis repanda) is a low, creeping tropical from the Acanthaceae family, prized for narrow, toothed leaves that flush silvery-green to deep wine-purple. Its defining need is steady warmth and humidity: it sulks below 50% humidity, crisping at the edges, so consistent moisture in the air and soil matters more than anything else.
Growth habit: A fast-spreading, low creeping evergreen perennial with a groundcover or trailing habit. Stems root readily where nodes touch damp soil, forming dense mats, which makes it ideal for spilling over pot edges, carpeting terrarium floors, or edging in tropical gardens.
What fertiliser dragon's tongue actually wants — and why
Dragon's tongue 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 dragon's tongue: 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 dragon's tongue, 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 dragon's tongue:
Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser diluted to half strength; the plant is a light feeder and excess salts scorch the delicate foliage. Pause feeding in autumn and winter when growth naturally slows. Fresh compost at repotting also tops up nutrients, so heavy feeding is rarely needed. 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 dragon's tongue 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 dragon's tongue
Half strength is the safe default for dragon's tongue — 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 dragon's tongue first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the dragon's tongue watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding dragon's tongue
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for dragon's tongue:
- 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 dragon's tongue
- 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 dragon's tongue care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of dragon's tongue 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 dragon's tongue
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 dragon's tongue — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does dragon's tongue 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. Dragon's tongue 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 dragon's tongue?
Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser diluted to half strength; the plant is a light feeder and excess salts scorch the delicate foliage. Pause feeding in autumn and winter when growth naturally slows. Fresh compost at repotting also tops up nutrients, so heavy feeding is rarely needed. Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser diluted to half strength; the plant is a light feeder and excess salts scorch the delicate foliage. Pause feeding in autumn and winter when growth naturally slows. Fresh compost at repotting also tops up nutrients, so heavy feeding is rarely needed. 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 dragon's tongue?
Half strength is the safe default for dragon's tongue — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding dragon's tongue 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 dragon's tongue 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 dragon's tongue?
Flush the pot of dragon's tongue 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
- Dragon's tongue care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water dragon's tongue — 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 monstera
- How to fertilise pothos
- How to fertilise fiddle leaf fig
- All 271 fertilising guides in the Growli library