Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Elephant Tree (Bursera microphylla)— schedule & NPK
Also called Elephant Tree, Small-leaf Elephant Tree, Copal.
More about elephant tree
About Elephant Tree
Bursera microphylla · also called Elephant Tree, Small-leaf Elephant Tree · tropical
An iconic desert caudiciform tree of the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, and Baja California, named for its dramatically swollen, elephantine trunk with smooth cream to greenish bark that peels away to reveal a photosynthetic green layer beneath. Extremely drought-tolerant and deciduous during dry periods. Requires full sun, near-perfect drainage, and is frost-intolerant.
Growth habit: Drought-deciduous caudiciform tree or large shrub with a massively swollen, photosynthetic trunk and small pinnate leaflets
What fertiliser elephant tree actually wants — and why
Elephant Tree 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 elephant tree: 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 elephant tree, 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 elephant tree:
In its native habitat this species grows in nutrient-poor soils; fertiliser is not essential. If desired, apply a very dilute low-nitrogen cactus fertiliser once in spring and once in midsummer. Over-fertilising promotes soft, rot-prone growth. Keep that to sparingly through the growing season 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 elephant tree 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 elephant tree
Quarter to half strength at most for elephant tree. 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 elephant tree first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the elephant tree watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding elephant tree
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for elephant tree:
- 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 elephant tree
- 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 elephant tree 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 elephant tree until it drains clear, and refresh the gritty mix every 2-3 years.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for elephant tree
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 elephant tree — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does elephant tree 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. Elephant Tree 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 elephant tree?
In its native habitat this species grows in nutrient-poor soils; fertiliser is not essential. If desired, apply a very dilute low-nitrogen cactus fertiliser once in spring and once in midsummer. Over-fertilising promotes soft, rot-prone growth. In its native habitat this species grows in nutrient-poor soils; fertiliser is not essential. If desired, apply a very dilute low-nitrogen cactus fertiliser once in spring and once in midsummer. Over-fertilising promotes soft, rot-prone growth. Keep that to sparingly through the growing season between spring through early autumn (roughly March to September) and stop entirely once growth slows for winter.
What strength of feed for elephant tree?
Quarter to half strength at most for elephant tree. Succulents take up very little, and a strong dose burns the fine roots before the plant can use it.
What does over-feeding elephant tree 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 elephant tree 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 elephant tree?
Feed lightly enough and you rarely need to flush, but once a year run plain water through the pot of elephant tree until it drains clear, and refresh the gritty mix every 2-3 years.
Keep reading
- Elephant Tree care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water elephant tree — 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 satinleaf
- How to fertilise african star apple
- How to fertilise khirni
- All 8452 fertilising guides in the Growli library