Botanical Title: Hypoestes phyllostachya
Splattered leaves make Polka Dot Plant an uncommon and fascinating home plant. Many are pink, nonetheless newer hybrids give us gorgeous new decisions, together with crimson or white noticed leaves.
Uncover find out how to maintain these colourful leaves vibrant, when to water, and why it is best to pinch your plant.
This bushy plant grows shortly with good gentle. Pinch again rising suggestions typically to encourage branching and to maintain the plant compact.
Insignificant purple flower spikes might seem. Pinch them off as a result of they detract from the foliage and may trigger the plant to deteriorate after blooming.
Shed some gentle. Leaves might revert to solid-green in low gentle. Put Polka Dot Plant the place it will get loads of gentle, however out of direct solar. Filtered gentle from a south- or west-facing window will give it the sunshine it wants. In case you transfer your plant open air for the summer time, maintain it absolutely shaded from scorching solar, which might trigger leaves to curve up and develop brown scorch marks.
Sustain the humidity. If relative humidity drops under 50%, use a humidity tray or room humidifier to extend the moisture within the air. Grouping crops additionally helps to take care of the humidity round them. A terrarium is a perfect dwelling for this humidity-loving plant, the place it’s going to add eye-catching colour amongst inexperienced foliage crops.
Water frequently. Preserve the soil frivolously moist, however take care to not overwater. Too-dry soil will trigger leaves to wilt and drop off. Rapidly revive a wilted plant with a radical watering. Soggy soil will trigger the leaves to show yellow.
Pinch your plant. Pinch off tall stems to stop the plant from getting too leggy. Additionally, pinch off rising tricks to encourage stems to department out for a fuller, bushier plant.
Pink-splattered leaves make this houseplant irresistible. Picture ©OneponyPolka Dot Plant Issues, Options and Solutions
Curled-up leaves are sometimes the symptom of an excessive amount of solar. Hypoestes phyllostachya wants vibrant, oblique gentle to take care of its colour, however maintain it out of scorching, direct daylight.
Questioning when to repot? New crops could be moved to barely bigger pots immediately. Use a container with drainage holes to stop soggy soil. If you wish to use a cachepot — an ornamental container with out drainage holes — set the nursery pot within the cachepot. I put small river stones within the backside of cachepots to maintain the inside pot above the drainage water. You may repot older crops in spring or summer time once they outgrow their containers. This is find out how to know when to repot and find out how to do it.
Dropped leaves are brought on by dry soil. This Madagascar native likes constant watering, however not soggy soil. Over-watering might trigger yellow leaves that fall off. All the time use a container with drainage holes so you possibly can water totally with out fear of drowning your plant. In case you assume you’ve got hopelessly over-watered, repot it immediately in contemporary soil.
Webbing between stems and leaves are a tell-tale signal of spider mites. These tiny pests can do loads of injury to crops and will not be straightforward to do away with. Spider mites are drawn to houseplants within the winter, when indoor air is dry; you possibly can assist to stop them by boosting humidity round your plant. Minimize off any badly infested stems and wash off your plant with room-temperature water.
Is Hypoestes phyllostachya toxic? No — it isn’t poisonous to individuals or pets.
Polka Dot Plant Care Ideas
Origin: Madagascar
Peak: Preserve to about 10 in (25 cm) by pinching off.
Mild: Polka Dot Plant will lose its variegation in low gentle. Give your plant loads of vibrant, oblique gentle for sensational colour. Protect crops from direct solar to stop scorching leaves.
Water: Preserve soil frivolously, evenly moist spring via fall, and barely drier in winter when progress is slower.
Humidity: This tropical native needs increased humidity than most properties present. Attempt to preserve 50% relative humidity round polka dot plant. That is simpler than it appears. Use a cool-mist room humidifier or humidity tray. Try these straightforward methods to increase the humidity on your houseplants.
Temperature: Common to heat 65-80°F/18-27°C year-round
Soil: Good-quality, houseplant potting combine
Fertilizer: Feed each 2 weeks spring via fall with a balanced liquid or water-soluble fertilizer blended at half the common power.
Propagation: Grows simply from seeds. Take stem cuttings in spring and early summer time.