Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Pothos 'Shangri La' (Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La')— schedule & NPK
Also called Sleeping Pothos, Curly Leaf Pothos.
More about pothos 'shangri la'
About Pothos 'Shangri La'
Epipremnum aureum 'Shangri La' · also called Sleeping Pothos, Curly Leaf Pothos · houseplant
Pothos 'Shangri La' is a sport of golden pothos whose leaves curl and fold inward, giving a sleepy, ruffled look. It is a forgiving trailing aroid that tolerates low light, dries between waterings, and roots readily in water. Slower and more compact than common pothos, it suits shelves, hanging pots, and beginner growers.
Growth habit: Trailing and vining aroid with curled, inward-folding leaves; climbs with support or cascades from a hanging pot. More compact and slower-growing than standard golden pothos.
Watch for — Brown crispy edges: Caused by very dry air, underwatering or salt build-up; water more consistently and flush the soil occasionally to leach fertiliser salts.
What fertiliser pothos 'shangri la' actually wants — and why
Pothos 'Shangri La' 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 pothos 'shangri la': 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 pothos 'shangri la', 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 pothos 'shangri la':
Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced houseplant fertiliser at half strength; stop in autumn and winter when growth slows. 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 pothos 'shangri la' 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 pothos 'shangri la'
Half strength every feed is the sweet spot for pothos 'shangri la': 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 pothos 'shangri la' first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the pothos 'shangri la' watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding pothos 'shangri la'
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for pothos 'shangri la':
- 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 pothos 'shangri la'
- 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 pothos 'shangri la' 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 pothos 'shangri la' 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 pothos 'shangri la'
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 pothos 'shangri la' — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does pothos 'shangri la' 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. Pothos 'Shangri La' 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 pothos 'shangri la'?
Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced houseplant fertiliser at half strength; stop in autumn and winter when growth slows. Feed monthly through spring and summer with a balanced houseplant fertiliser at half strength; stop in autumn and winter when growth slows. 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 pothos 'shangri la'?
Half strength every feed is the sweet spot for pothos 'shangri la': frequent enough to fuel fast growth, dilute enough that it never scorches even when you feed often.
What does over-feeding pothos 'shangri la' 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 pothos 'shangri la'?
Because you feed often, salts accumulate faster — flush the pot of pothos 'shangri la' with plain water until it drains freely roughly every month through the feeding season to keep the root zone clean.
Keep reading
- Pothos 'Shangri La' care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water pothos 'shangri la' — 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 snake plant
- How to fertilise dracaena
- How to fertilise peperomia
- All 2464 fertilising guides in the Growli library