Annual or perennial?As well as being a popular perennial house plant, Hypoestes can also be grown outside as an annual plant in cooler climates. How To Water A Polka Dot Plant. Picture of Hypoestes phyllostachya ‘White Splash’ cultivar. Care … Unique, Cool, and Unusual Houseplants You Need to Grow (With Pictures), Caring for Calathea Ornata (Pinstripe Calathea) - The Ultimate Guide, Plants that Bring Good Luck, Prosperity and Fortune (Lucky Plants) Says Feng Shui, Calathea (Rattlesnake Plant, Zebra Plant): Types, Care and More Growing Tips, Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes Phyllostachya): Care, and Splash Plant Growing Tips, Types of Jade Plants (Crassula Varieties) with Pictures, Wandering Jew Plant (Tradescantia or Spiderwort): Care & Types, Nerve Plant (Fittonia Plant): Caring for Vein Plants. If the soil has completely dried, water the plant thoroughly to help bring it back to life. Feed your Hypoestes Phyllostachya plant once a month in spring and summer to help the plant grow well indoors. The reason being that polka dot plants have a relatively short lifespan. Repotting Polka Dot Plant. Karl Thomas Moore, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Growing Polka Dot plant Outdoors All Rights Reserved. outdoor containers indoors as a houseplant - The polka dot plant has a long history of growth as a houseplant. These will tend to dry out quicker than large containers. Plus they are a small, delicate looking houseplant. Usually, if your polka dot starts to bloom, you should pinch the flowers off. Allowing a polka dot plant to stand in water can also be a reason for it dying. The color of the foliage brightens with more sunlight, but direct sun may burn it. © Copyright 2020 Meredith Corporation. Here’s the breakdown. "Polka dot plants will go dormant and appear dead once they flower, so to prolong its life, it is best to prune it and not allow it to develop flowers," says Green. Usually, issues with watering are the main reason why your polka dot plant is dying. All can be made in 45 minutes or less. Find out how to care for your polka dot plants. Polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya), also known as freckle face plant, is a popular indoor plant (though it can be grown outdoors in warmer climates) grown for its attractive foliage.In fact, this is where the plant’s name derived, as its leaves are dotted with splotches of color—from white to green, pink, or red. These plants are people and pet friendly as well. Polka Dot plant or Hypoestes phyllostachya is a small, colourful plant with different coloured dots on contrasting leaves. The attractive perennial flowers against spotted foliage add to the plant’s prettiness. Still, you need to get the basics right to have success. Polka dot plant can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) high. One tip to know when to water your polka dot plant is to wait until the top part of the soil has dried out. Indirect sunlight is best for polka dot plant care. Different cultivars have red and green, white and green, or shades of green polka dots. Polka dot plant ( Hypoestes phyllostachya) is a delicate tropical foliage plant once relegated to the role of novelty houseplant. This is a tropical plant that’s native to Madagascar, making it either a house plant or annual in most of the United States. If you have plants outdoors on the patio, and temperatures drop below 55°F at night, bring your plant indoors to prevent it from freezing in the cold conditions. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and put it in a soilless growing medium such as peat moss. Indoors, it likes bright indirect light or a bit of sun in the morning. Hypoestes can be grown as a bedding plant to add color in partially shaded areas. So, pinch off any new flowers that appear to prevent the plant wilting and dying. ", The plant's small size means it won't make much of an impact in an outdoor garden but can add a pretty accent to a small-scale planter. This houseplant is a popular type of plant because all varieties of the polka dot plant are easy to care for indoors and, in the right environment, outdoors. To thrive, your polka dot plant needs just enough watering to keep the soil moist. This will help train your colorful plant to grow as a bushy shrub in a small container. Always water the soil, not the leaves, to prevent damaging the polka-dotted leaves. "The only way to overwinter polka dot plants is to grow them indoors as a houseplant," says Green. Not letting the splash plant sit in water helps prevent root rot due to soggy soil. What can you do to prevent your splash plant from becoming leggy? In this image: Hypoestes phyllostachya ‘Pink Splash Select’. Indirect light, partial shade and low-light positions suit best for Polka dot plant. Caring for Your Polka Dot Plant Light Grow polka dot plant in moist well draining soil. Growing houseplants with pink and green, white and green, or red and green leaves are great gifts for any friend. Here, get our best grilling recipes for everything from fish and meat to pizza and oysters. MORE FACTS - Hardy here in zone 10, south Florida. Usually, about once a week in the growing season is enough. Some varieties of the plant also have multiple shades of dots on their leaves. When watering this attractive indoors plant, allow the water to drain out the bottom of the pot. Plant your polka dots in a bright location where they get sun and also partial shade. Another tip when it comes to caring for a healthy polka dot plant is to water according to the pot size. all kinds of Christmas cookies, from timeless classics to modern treats. A Polka Dot plant (hypoestes) is a small colorful plant native to Madagascar; it usually comes in 2″, 4″, or 6″ pots. Simply pinching off any stems that get too long or flowers as they begin to develop will keep them happy.". Pictures of Polka dot (Hypoestes Phyllostachya) plants. If you want to grow the plant outdoors then place it under a tree. 12 Festive Family Menus to Get You Through This Holiday Season, Learn How to Keep Your Christmas Tree Fresh for the Entire Month of December, Quick, Easy, and Delicious Pasta Recipes Ideal for Weeknight Dinners, How to Hang a Wreath Without Making Holes in the Door, The Best Front Porch Decorating Ideas for Every Month of the Year, How to Disinfect Your Kitchen and Your Food During the Coronavirus Outbreak, According to Experts, How to Keep Your Houseplants Happy in the Winter, How to Wash Your Hands Properly, According to a Doctor, How to Plan a Beautiful, Meaningful Micro Wedding So That You Can Celebrate Your Postponed Nuptials Right Now, Six Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health While You Work from Home. However, they need bright conditions to retain their freckled or speckled patterns. You can encourage healthy growth if you give your polka dot plant enough fertilizer. 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