Fertilising guide
How to fertilise Trailing Rock Jasmine (Androsace lanuginosa)— schedule & NPK
Also called Trailing rock jasmine, Woolly rock jasmine, Lanuginose androsace.
More about trailing rock jasmine
About Trailing Rock Jasmine
Androsace lanuginosa · also called Trailing rock jasmine, Woolly rock jasmine · flowering
Androsace lanuginosa is a trailing, mat-forming evergreen perennial from the rocky slopes of the Himalayas in northern India and Nepal, forming loose mats of silvery-hairy ovate leaves to 45 cm wide. It bears rounded umbels of lilac-pink flowers with a pale or greenish eye on short stems in mid-summer to early autumn, and is the most free-flowering and garden-amenable Androsace species, holding an RHS Award of Garden Merit. Unlike most high-alpine Androsace, it tolerates slightly better moisture but still requires sharp drainage and is best kept dry overhead in winter. Androsace is not listed by the ASPCA; as no confirmed pet-safety data exists, treat it as mildly toxic and keep away from pets.
Growth habit: Trailing, mat-forming evergreen perennial spreading by elongated, leafy stems rooting at nodes.
What fertiliser trailing rock jasmine actually wants — and why
Trailing Rock Jasmine 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 trailing rock 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 trailing rock 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 trailing rock jasmine:
Apply a dilute balanced liquid feed once in spring as new growth emerges; overfeeding promotes lush, rot-prone growth at the expense of flowering. 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 trailing rock 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 trailing rock jasmine
Half strength is the safe default for trailing rock jasmine — 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 trailing rock jasmine first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the trailing rock jasmine watering schedule.
Signs you are over-feeding trailing rock jasmine
Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for trailing rock jasmine:
- 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 trailing rock jasmine
- 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 trailing rock jasmine care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.
Flushing and leaching the salts
Flush the pot of trailing rock jasmine 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 trailing rock jasmine
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 trailing rock jasmine — frequently asked questions
What fertiliser does trailing rock jasmine 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. Trailing Rock Jasmine 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 trailing rock jasmine?
Apply a dilute balanced liquid feed once in spring as new growth emerges; overfeeding promotes lush, rot-prone growth at the expense of flowering. Apply a dilute balanced liquid feed once in spring as new growth emerges; overfeeding promotes lush, rot-prone growth at the expense of flowering. 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 trailing rock jasmine?
Half strength is the safe default for trailing rock jasmine — houseplant feeds are formulated strong, and the diluted dose is gentler on the roots while still ample for foliage.
What does over-feeding trailing rock jasmine 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 trailing rock jasmine 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 trailing rock jasmine?
Flush the pot of trailing rock jasmine 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
- Trailing Rock Jasmine care — the full brief (light, soil, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water trailing rock 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 sweet william
- How to fertilise china pink
- How to fertilise superb pink
- All 10153 fertilising guides in the Growli library