Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Super King Ixora (Ixora coccinea 'Super King')— schedule & NPK
Also called Super King Ixora, Super King Flame of the Woods.
More about super king ixora
About Super King Ixora
Ixora coccinea 'Super King' · also called Super King Ixora, Super King Flame of the Woods · tropical
Super King Ixora is a vigorous cultivar of Ixora coccinea selected for its exceptionally large flower clusters of brilliant red-orange blooms. More free-flowering and bolder than the species, it is a popular landscape shrub across tropical and subtropical regions, commonly used as a hedge or specimen. It requires acidic soil and full sun for best performance.
Growth habit: Vigorous, upright, densely branched evergreen shrub
Watch for — Interveinal chlorosis: 'Super King' is especially sensitive to high soil pH causing iron chlorosis — new leaves yellow while veins stay green. Test pH and amend with sulfur or acidifying fertiliser. Apply chelated iron chelate at 4-6 week intervals until colour returns. Use only soft or rainwater for irrigation.
What fertiliser super king ixora actually wants — and why
Super King Ixora is an acid-loving plant — it can only take up nutrients in acidic soil, so the feed itself matters less than using an ericaceous formula and never liming.
An ericaceous (acidic) fertiliser, formulated to keep the soil pH low and supply iron and trace elements in a form acid-loving roots can absorb. Ordinary feeds and any lime lock out iron and yellow the leaves.
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 super king ixora: 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 super king ixora, 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 super king ixora:
Apply an acid-forming slow-release fertiliser (azalea/gardenia formula) in spring and midsummer. Supplement every 4-6 weeks during active growth with a water-soluble acidic fertiliser. Include chelated iron and micronutrient supplements twice a year. 'Super King' is a heavy feeder due to its vigorous growth and prolific blooming. In practice: an ericaceous feed in spring as growth resumes, repeated through the main growing months; never apply lime, bonemeal or wood ash, which raise pH.
The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when super king ixora 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 super king ixora
Follow the ericaceous product's own rate — these are formulated for the plant, so the dilution on the label is right for super king ixora. The variable that actually matters is pH, not concentration.
Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water super king ixora first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the super king ixora watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding super king ixora
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for super king ixora:
- Brown, scorched leaf margins from too strong or too frequent a dose.
- White salt crust on the soil surface.
- Soft, lush growth that fruits or flowers poorly.
Signs you are under-feeding super king ixora
- Yellowing leaves with green veins (iron chlorosis from high pH).
- Weak growth, poor cropping and an overall pale, stressed look.
- Stunted new shoots in spring despite adequate water and light.
If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full super king ixora care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush super king ixora with rainwater (not hard tap water, which raises pH) if salts build up; better still, mulch with pine needles or composted bark and water with rainwater to hold the acidity.
Organic vs synthetic feeds for super king ixora
Organic options
Composted pine bark, pine-needle mulch, used coffee grounds and an organic ericaceous feed gently maintain acidity. UK: Vitax or Westland Ericaceous; US: Espoma Holly-tone or Dr. Earth Acid Lovers. Slow, soil-improving, hard to overdo.
Synthetic / liquid feeds
A liquid or granular ericaceous feed — UK: Miracle-Gro Ericaceous, Vitax or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro Acid-Loving Plant Food or Espoma Holly-tone. Pair with rainwater and an acidic mulch for it to work.
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 super king ixora — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does super king ixora need?
An ericaceous (acidic) fertiliser, formulated to keep the soil pH low and supply iron and trace elements in a form acid-loving roots can absorb. Ordinary feeds and any lime lock out iron and yellow the leaves. Super King Ixora is an acid-loving plant — it can only take up nutrients in acidic soil, so the feed itself matters less than using an ericaceous formula and never liming.
How often should I feed super king ixora?
Apply an acid-forming slow-release fertiliser (azalea/gardenia formula) in spring and midsummer. Supplement every 4-6 weeks during active growth with a water-soluble acidic fertiliser. Include chelated iron and micronutrient supplements twice a year. 'Super King' is a heavy feeder due to its vigorous growth and prolific blooming. Apply an acid-forming slow-release fertiliser (azalea/gardenia formula) in spring and midsummer. Supplement every 4-6 weeks during active growth with a water-soluble acidic fertiliser. Include chelated iron and micronutrient supplements twice a year. 'Super King' is a heavy feeder due to its vigorous growth and prolific blooming. In practice: an ericaceous feed in spring as growth resumes, repeated through the main growing months; never apply lime, bonemeal or wood ash, which raise pH.
What strength of feed for super king ixora?
Follow the ericaceous product's own rate — these are formulated for the plant, so the dilution on the label is right for super king ixora. The variable that actually matters is pH, not concentration.
What does over-feeding super king ixora look like?
Brown, scorched leaf margins from too strong or too frequent a dose. White salt crust on the soil surface. Soft, lush growth that fruits or flowers poorly. Feeding super king ixora an ordinary fertiliser, or growing it in hard tap water / limey soil, is the defining mistake — it triggers lime-induced chlorosis (yellow leaves, green veins) no amount of feeding fixes until the pH comes down.
Should I flush the soil of super king ixora?
Flush super king ixora with rainwater (not hard tap water, which raises pH) if salts build up; better still, mulch with pine needles or composted bark and water with rainwater to hold the acidity.
Keep reading
- Super King Ixora care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water super king ixora — 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 ravenea glauca
- How to fertilise caryota obtusa
- How to fertilise caryota no
- All 6887 fertilising guides in the Growli library