Photograph: istockphoto.com
As its title implies, the polka dot plant is liberally spattered with white, pink, or crimson magnificence spots. It additionally goes by the charming title of “freckle face” and the ill-sounding “measles plant.”
Since polka dot plant care is straightforward, Tovah Martin’s The Indestructible Houseplant recommends low-growing cultivars as a groundcover to hide the spindly stems of leggier houseplants. Otherwise you simply can use them so as to add spots of shade to an in any other case inexperienced assortment. Understand that the speckled begonia is a very totally different plant, so polka dot begonia care isn’t coated right here.
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Polka Dot Care at a Look
Frequent Identify: Polka dot plant, freckle face
Scientific Identify: Hypoestes phyllostachya
Soil: Customary potting combine
Gentle: Shiny, oblique mild, morning solar
Water: Barely moist always
Meals: Balanced houseplant fertilizer
Temperature and Humidity: Typical family temperatures, excessive humidity
Propagation: Seed
Security: Unhazardous
Photograph: istockphoto.com
Polka Dot Plant Traits
Though polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) can develop 3 ft tall in its native Madagascar, most fashionable cultivars fluctuate from 6 inches to 2 ft excessive. Typically raised open air in partial shade, they’re hardy solely in USDA zones 10 via 12. Luckily, the often-pink crops can stay within the pink of well being indoors and out.
Polka dot plant flowers, 6-inch spikes of inconspicuous pink to purple blooms, typically seem in late summer time or autumn after the times start to shorten. Nevertheless, this plant tends to “go to seed” after flowering—each actually and figuratively—so it’s a good suggestion to maintain pinching these buds off.
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Forms of Polka Dot Vegetation
- Confetti: This brief and candy sequence presents 5 colours in crops that develop to solely 8 inches.
- Splash: If you happen to desire splashier dots, strive the ‘Splash’ sequence’ 4 colours, through which the spots are giant sufficient to be referred to as splotches as an alternative.
- Hippo Rose: Closely painted with rose, this cultivar presents solely small spatterings of inexperienced background.
Choosing Soil for Polka Dots
For the fullest look, you’ll need to place about 5 pink polka dot seedlings in a 4-inch pot. Fill that pot with a normal humus-rich potting soil excessive in both peat or compost, with a pH between 5.8 and 6.2. As soon as the crops start to develop, pinch them again each time their shoots surpass 10 inches.
Since they seldom stay in peak well being for longer than two years, you’ll need to consider changing them with new seedlings in spring each different 12 months or so. See “Propagating Polka Dot Vegetation” under to “join the dots” on how to do this appropriately.
Photograph: istockphoto.com
The Proper Gentle
Though these crops reportedly will tolerate any situations between full solar and shade, too many scorching noon rays trigger their leaves to twist underneath and their colours to fade. Alternatively, low mild will “knock the spots off” of them, inflicting them to revert to greener foliage and presumably grow to be leggy as properly.
For the very best outcomes, due to this fact, give them both very shiny oblique mild or place them on an east-facing windowsill the place they obtain direct solar solely within the morning hours. Then watch their shade for clues on whether or not their illumination is simply too little, an excessive amount of, or spot on!
Watering Polka Dots
Preserve the soil of your pink polka dot crops evenly moist always, however by no means soggy. (That applies to different colours too!) If potential, use rainwater or spring water slightly than exhausting faucet water to irrigate them.
Ought to the crops’ foliage wilt, you may have allowed their soil to dry out an excessive amount of. Though the polka dots normally will get well rapidly when watered, frequent wilting will go away them extra susceptible to pests. Alternatively, overly saturated soil could cause root rot—particularly in winter months when the crops aren’t rising a lot—so intention for damp slightly than drenched.
Fertilizing Polka Dot Vegetation
Plan to feed your plant as soon as each different week from spring via autumn with a balanced houseplant fertilizer reminiscent of 20-20-20, combined at half power. If the instructions name for 1/2 teaspoon of the plant meals per gallon of water, cut back that to 1/4 teaspoon as an alternative. Don’t fertilize the polka dot in winter, the season when its development ought to be the pokiest.
You’ll additionally need to keep away from feeding any cultivar that you’ve positioned in a terrarium, as that may trigger it to outgrow its house too rapidly. Ought to it start wanting peaked on account of malnutrition, apply a really delicate dose of plant meals, one-fourth of what the instructions name for.
Setting the Temperature and Humidity
The polka dot plant will tolerate any temperatures from 50 to 80 levels Fahrenheit, however prefers common family situations between 65 and 75 levels Fahrenheit. Nevertheless, it will like slightly extra humidity than is discovered within the common dwelling.
Subsequently, it’s a good suggestion to maintain the plant in {a partially} shaded place open air throughout summer time however convey it in earlier than temperatures drop under 50 levels Fahrenheit. Throughout winter, you may need to enclose a low-growing cultivar in a terrarium. Alternatively, you’ll be able to mist the plant often, and place it on a humidity tray or in a damp house reminiscent of a rest room.
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Photograph: istockphoto.com
Propagating Polka Dot Vegetation
When contemplating tips on how to propagate polka dot crops, bear in mind they’re among the many few houseplants that develop simply from seed. After filling a container with damp and sterile seed-starting combine, merely press the seeds into the floor of that blend with out protecting them. Stretch plastic wrap excessive of the container to retain the combination’s moisture and place the container underneath a develop mild or on a windowsill. If stored at 65 to 75 levels Fahrenheit, the seeds ought to sprout in 4 to 14 days.
The seed leaves (the primary couple to seem) can be a plain inexperienced, however the next “true” leaves ought to present extra shade. Transplant the seedlings into pots full of potting combine after they have 4 leaves, and you should have succeeded with polka dot plant propagation.
Security Issues
Not thought of a poisonous species by the ASPCA, the polka dot plant reportedly nonetheless could cause vomiting and diarrhea in pets who eat it. So, it theoretically may provoke the identical response in people, together with curious kids sampling the candy-colored leaves of this often pink plant. Subsequently, you could need to place it able out of attain of prowling pets and tasting toddlers.
If the plant blooms indoors, it may reproduce itself by dropping seeds into close by pots, presumably endangering the well being of much less vigorous species whose house it invades. Whether or not you think about that proliferation a blessing or curse most likely will rely upon how a lot you dote in your polka dots.
Potential Pests and Illnesses
Curling leaves and washed-out colours typically point out that your polka dot plant is receiving an excessive amount of solar, whereas a reversion to inexperienced and leggy development signifies that it’s receiving too little mild. Leaves that yellow and drop may point out you’ve been overwatering the plant, whereas those who fall abruptly with out yellowing signify underwatering. As with most houseplants, brown leaf suggestions can warn of both low humidity or overfeeding.
Though not typically bothered by pests, the polka dot plant may undergo from aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, scale, whiteflies, and different pests. If you happen to spot any of those bugs, you’ll be able to strive insecticidal cleaning soap—following the instructions on the container—for many of these listed. Nevertheless, you may have to resort to horticultural oil to smother scale.
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Photograph: istockphoto.com
FAQs About Polka Dot Plant Care
In case your polka dot plant is driving you dotty, examine under for a couple of fast solutions on tips on how to preserve it at its most colourful finest. Must you not discover the solutions for which you’re looking right here, take a look at the extra in-depth info on the freckled plant’s care above.
Q: Is the polka dot plant an indoor plant?
Sure, it may be an indoor plant, an annual out of doors, or a perennial in USDA zones 10 via 12.
Q: How briskly does a polka dot plant develop?
The polka dot plant reportedly takes two to 4 months from its sowing to mature right into a full-sized specimen.
Q: How lengthy can polka dot crops dwell?
Polka dot crops typically develop considerably seedy taking care of a pair years, so they need to get replaced often.
Q: How a lot solar does a polka dot plant want?
Polka dot crops show the very best shade when given solely morning solar or shiny, oblique mild.
Q: How typically ought to I water my polka dot plant?
Water the plant sufficient to maintain its soil evenly moist always, however by no means soggy.
In search of extra beginner-friendly, low-maintenance, or low-light houseplants? Take a look at our guides on caring for snake plant, spider plant, and peace lily.
