Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Small-Leaved Lipstick Vine (Aeschynanthus parvifolius)— schedule & NPK
Also called Small-Leaved Lipstick Vine, Small-Leaved Basket Vine.
More about small-leaved lipstick vine
About Small-Leaved Lipstick Vine
Aeschynanthus parvifolius · also called Small-Leaved Lipstick Vine, Small-Leaved Basket Vine · houseplant
A delicate, small-leaved trailing epiphyte from tropical Southeast Asian rainforests, producing wiry stems densely set with tiny, dark-green leaves and clusters of slender tubular flowers. Its compact scale makes it ideal for smaller hanging baskets or elevated shelves. Care mirrors other Aeschynanthus — bright indirect light, good airflow, high humidity, and a fast-draining epiphytic mix.
Growth habit: Slender trailing epiphytic subshrub with wiry pendant stems; well-suited to small hanging baskets or elevated positions
What fertiliser small-leaved lipstick vine actually wants — and why
Small-Leaved Lipstick Vine 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 small-leaved lipstick vine: 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 small-leaved lipstick vine, 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 small-leaved lipstick vine:
Feed with half-strength balanced liquid fertiliser every 3–4 weeks during the growing season (spring–summer). A high-potassium feed applied in late summer encourages flowering. Do not fertilise in winter. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season 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 small-leaved lipstick vine 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 small-leaved lipstick vine
Half strength is the safe default for small-leaved lipstick vine — 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 small-leaved lipstick vine first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the small-leaved lipstick vine watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding small-leaved lipstick vine
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for small-leaved lipstick vine:
- 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 small-leaved lipstick vine
- 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 small-leaved lipstick vine care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of small-leaved lipstick vine 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 small-leaved lipstick vine
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 small-leaved lipstick vine — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does small-leaved lipstick vine 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. Small-Leaved Lipstick Vine 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 small-leaved lipstick vine?
Feed with half-strength balanced liquid fertiliser every 3–4 weeks during the growing season (spring–summer). A high-potassium feed applied in late summer encourages flowering. Do not fertilise in winter. Feed with half-strength balanced liquid fertiliser every 3–4 weeks during the growing season (spring–summer). A high-potassium feed applied in late summer encourages flowering. Do not fertilise in winter. Treat that as sparingly through the growing season 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 small-leaved lipstick vine?
Half strength is the safe default for small-leaved lipstick vine — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding small-leaved lipstick vine 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 small-leaved lipstick vine 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 small-leaved lipstick vine?
Flush the pot of small-leaved lipstick vine 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
- Small-Leaved Lipstick Vine care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water small-leaved lipstick vine — 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 stingray
- How to fertilise alocasia regal shield
- How to fertilise rose-painted calathea (dottie)
- All 8452 fertilising guides in the Growli library