Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Night-blooming Jasmine (Cestrum nocturnum)— schedule & NPK
Also called Night-blooming Jasmine, Night Jessamine, Lady of the Night, Queen of the Night.
More about night-blooming jasmine
About Night-blooming Jasmine
Cestrum nocturnum · also called Night-blooming Jasmine, Night Jessamine · tropical
Night-blooming Jasmine is a fast-growing tropical shrub producing clusters of small, greenish-white tubular flowers whose intense, sweet fragrance intensifies dramatically after dark. It thrives in full sun to part shade in fertile, moist but well-draining soil. All parts are toxic to people and pets. Hardy outdoors in USDA zones 9–11.
Growth habit: Upright, sprawling, fast-growing evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub
What fertiliser night-blooming jasmine actually wants — and why
Night-blooming Jasmine is feeding to flower, not to grow leaves — it needs a higher-phosphorus / specialist bloom feed, given little and often, to set and hold its display.
A higher-phosphorus "bloom" formula or a species-specific feed (orchid food, African violet food, or a tomato-style high-potash/phosphorus liquid). A high-nitrogen general feed gives you lush leaves and almost no flowers.
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 night-blooming jasmine: 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 night-blooming jasmine, 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 night-blooming jasmine:
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser during the growing season (spring to early autumn). Young plants benefit from a higher-nitrogen feed early in the season to build strong stems; switch to a bloom formula (lower N, higher P and K) once the plant is established and regularly flowering. Cease feeding in winter. The pattern that matters: feed little and often through active growth and budding — monthly — and ease right off during the rest period that triggers the next flush.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when night-blooming jasmine 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 night-blooming jasmine
Very dilute — quarter strength, the classic "weakly, weekly" approach for night-blooming jasmine. These plants have fine roots that scorch easily and a steady trickle beats an occasional strong dose for flowering.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water night-blooming jasmine first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the night-blooming jasmine watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding night-blooming jasmine
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for night-blooming jasmine:
- Lush green leaves but few or no flowers (too much nitrogen).
- Brown, scorched leaf tips and edges — a classic fine-root burn.
- White salt crust on the medium or pot, and stalled buds.
- Bud blast: buds forming then shrivelling and dropping.
Signs you are under-feeding night-blooming jasmine
- Sparse or no flowering despite good light and the right season.
- Smaller, paler new leaves and a generally weak, tired plant.
- Flowers that are smaller or fade faster than they should.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full night-blooming jasmine care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Specialist and bloom feeds leave salts that scorch fine roots — flush night-blooming jasmine thoroughly with plain water until it runs clear every 4-6 weeks in the feeding season, and always between feeds for orchids.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for night-blooming jasmine
Organic options
Gentler options exist: a dilute seaweed feed (mildly potassium-rich) or worm-casting tea. UK: Westland seaweed, or a dilute tomato feed like Tomorite for bud-formers; US: Espoma Orchid! / Violet! or Neptune's Harvest. Lower burn risk, slower response.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A species-matched bloom feed at quarter strength — UK: Baby Bio Orchid / African Violet food, or a high-potash Tomorite/Phostrogen for budding bloomers; US: Miracle-Gro Orchid or Bloom Booster, Schultz African Violet.
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 night-blooming jasmine — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does night-blooming jasmine need?
A higher-phosphorus "bloom" formula or a species-specific feed (orchid food, African violet food, or a tomato-style high-potash/phosphorus liquid). A high-nitrogen general feed gives you lush leaves and almost no flowers. Night-blooming Jasmine is feeding to flower, not to grow leaves — it needs a higher-phosphorus / specialist bloom feed, given little and often, to set and hold its display.
How often should I feed night-blooming jasmine?
Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser during the growing season (spring to early autumn). Young plants benefit from a higher-nitrogen feed early in the season to build strong stems; switch to a bloom formula (lower N, higher P and K) once the plant is established and regularly flowering. Cease feeding in winter. Feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser during the growing season (spring to early autumn). Young plants benefit from a higher-nitrogen feed early in the season to build strong stems; switch to a bloom formula (lower N, higher P and K) once the plant is established and regularly flowering. Cease feeding in winter. The pattern that matters: feed little and often through active growth and budding — monthly — and ease right off during the rest period that triggers the next flush.
What strength of feed for night-blooming jasmine?
Very dilute — quarter strength, the classic "weakly, weekly" approach for night-blooming jasmine. These plants have fine roots that scorch easily and a steady trickle beats an occasional strong dose for flowering.
What does over-feeding night-blooming jasmine look like?
Lush green leaves but few or no flowers (too much nitrogen). Brown, scorched leaf tips and edges — a classic fine-root burn. White salt crust on the medium or pot, and stalled buds. Bud blast: buds forming then shrivelling and dropping. Using an ordinary high-nitrogen houseplant feed on night-blooming jasmine is the headline mistake — you get a healthy-looking plant that simply refuses to bloom. The second is feeding through the rest period and breaking the dormancy cue it needs to set buds.
Should I flush the soil of night-blooming jasmine?
Specialist and bloom feeds leave salts that scorch fine roots — flush night-blooming jasmine thoroughly with plain water until it runs clear every 4-6 weeks in the feeding season, and always between feeds for orchids.
Keep reading
- Night-blooming Jasmine care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water night-blooming jasmine — 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 clinacanthus nutans
- How to fertilise megaskepasma erythrochlamys
- How to fertilise odontonema tubaeforme
- All 6887 fertilising guides in the Growli library