I have been taking car e of my own plants for a year and have learned a lot along the way. We want to make sure all the stems are straight and growing upward, also not largely going downward. After flowering, the plant will likely become dormant or die outright. This information cannot be used to track down your identity. Polka dot plant care. I had a pink polka dot plant around last year or so but i didnt take very good care of it, so i bought ANOTHER one the other day which i have named Sprout and I promised that i would water him when he needed watering, talk when needed, and on the occasion sing (i hear plants like singing and talking) and i pledged i would NOT let him diee!!!! Polka Dot Plant Care & Watering Guide Watering your Polka Dot Plant. The only personally identifiable information we collect is your name and e-mail address only when leaving comments if you’re a visitor, or when submitting content and leaving comments, if you’re a contributor. Polka dot plants enjoy a constantly moist soil, without it being soggy. You clip the back every week or two, so it is very easy to propagate them as well. To prevent water from spreading everywhere, either place a coffee filter at the bottom of the pot, or line the bottom of the new pot with small river rocks. The polka dot plant has the scientific name Hypoestes phyllostachya and is in the plant family Acanthaceae. If the leaves droop, they quickly perk up after a little water. Sunlight is very important for your polka dot plant as it directly affects how much color its foliage has. It’s very easy to spot the polka dot plant by its staple freckled leaves. Growing and caring for the Polka Dot plant is relatively easy. Find the most popular five listed below! If you want to grow the plant outdoors then place it under a tree. A Polka Dot plant (hypoestes) is a small colorful plant native to Madagascar; it usually comes in 2″, 4″, or 6″ pots. When I give my garden talk on decorating your home with houseplants, polka dot plant (hypoestes phyllostachya) is one of my favorite examples. To propagate your plant, start by taking a cutting below at least two sets of leaves. (Healthy Houseplants.com) Provide moderate temperature and high humidity . For best results, feed every two to four weeks and prune regularly. Treat severe outbreaks by spraying the entire plant with horticultural oil, mixed at a rate of 1 1/4 … A Polka Dot plant (hypoestes) is a small colorful plant native to Madagascar; it usually comes in 2″, 4″, or 6″ pots. Polka dot plants prefer a rich, loose, peat-based soil that drains well. Polka dot plants are native to South Africa, Madagascar, and Southeast Asia. Once a month, feed the plant with a high-quality organic fertilizer designed for houseplants. Most potting mixes should be good, but take a look at this list to find the best one. Hypoestes phyllostachya (polka dot plant) Like Fittonia, Hypoestes is appreciated for its interesting leaf colors and patterns. Indirect light, partial shade and low-light positions suit best for Polka dot plant. With their unique angel-shaped dotted leaves, Polka Dot Begonia is a fairly easy plant to care for once you know what to do! The polka-dotted leaves feature colored splotches which can vary from a silvery green to bright pink, which makes it a great option if you’re looking for a pop of color. Hypoestes phyllostachya (Polka dot plant) will reach a height of 0.6m and a spread of 0.6m after 2-5 years. They can be grown either individually or in a terrarium, growing up to 20” tall. It needs well-lit places and fertile soil to grow. 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. Ever kill a plant on accident? Various third parties are also collecting data to show your personalized content and ads. Likes a humid environment. The polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) is hardy in your winters, so you can grow it outdoors. Outdoors, the polka dot plant enjoys a spot with dappled shade, away from the direct midday sun. Your email address will not be published. Did you make this project? Information YouHadMeAtGardening.com Collects. Good luck, You picked a challenging plant. What I learned to do for my bosses plant was to water often, but to barely let water escape the bottom, so the soil was moist but not soaking. Sunlight is very important for your polka dot plant as it directly affects how much color its foliage has. Polka dot plant care. Polka dot plants grow well in environments offering a minimum relative humidity of 50%. Seeds are easy to germinate, and the plant can be started from cuttings. Feed during the growing season. They also have different fertilizer schedules. Avoid letting the soil dry out completely, but if you have to pick between not watering enough and watering too much, go for the former. They all grow very nicely indoors, and because they tend to be small even as adults, they make great small indoor plants. Usually, the polka dot begonia reaches the height of about 0.83-1ft or 25-30cm and the width of 0.67-1ft or 20-30cm. Introduce colorful contrast to your living space with these fascinating Polka Dot Print Houseplants!They look great with other patterned indoor plants too! This privacy policy outlines what info we gather from our visitors and contributors, the tools we use to collect, store, and protect it, and how we use this information. Polka Dot Plant Care Guide. Like most plants, if overwatered, the polka dot plant is prone to root rot. So it’s not a big plant even though the leaves can get quite wide and you’ll need a medium-sized pot to grow it. source: Flickr. Too much light or too little light causes the colors in the leaves of this plant to fade. Taking Care of Polka Dot Plants. If you’re looking for something unusual that attracts attention, this over-the-top begonia is a great choice. 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. Easy to care for the polka dot plant is a great place to begin your houseplant collection. How to care for begonia maculata: Polka dot begonia (Wightii) needs well-draining soil, and the pot should be in bright, indirect light. Water: Polka Dot Begonias enjoy weekly waterings, keeping their soil moist. The polka dot plant is a relatively easy indoor plant to start with if for someone who is new to plants. Polka Dot Begonia Indoor Care Tips How to care for a Begonia Maculata (Polka dot plant) Begonias are beautiful plants and they're surprisingly easy to take care of. The Begonia maculata is a relatively fast grower and makes an excellent indoor houseplant or terrarium plant. ©2018-2020 YouHadMeAtGardening.com | All rights reserved. It enjoys neutral soils and partial sun exposure. Be warned: propagation isn't easy or very fast. The delicate, downy green leaves are covered in spots and splashes of red, rose, white, or light green which give the plant its other nickname pink, red, or white splash. Polka Dot Plants also grow quickly, and they’re super easy to propagate in water! Indoors, place your plants in bright, filtered sunlight of an east- or west-facing window and rotate the plant regularly. For example, you can use general potting soil mixed with perlite for drainage and throw in a layer of compost for extra nutrients. More About the Hypoestes. Polka dot plants need fast-draining soil, with a high nutrient component. Subscribe today! Mix a layer of compost or organic fertilizer in the soil before planting and use a liquid fertilizer once a month during growth season. Strive for a healthy amount of sunlight for best results. Monthly updates on your favorite plants and how to keep them alive, delivered straight to your inbox! Leave a layer of stones or pebbles on the bottom of the tray, and balance the pot on top. We recommend feeding your Polka Dot Begonia every month in the warmer growth months. If you want to grow the plant outdoors then place it under a tree. Your polka dot plant loves plenty of sunlight but too much sunlight will make it fade out. It originates from South Africa and Madagascar, so it’s used to warm climates. Whether in a terrarium, pot or planter, this is one of my favorite plants to place around my home. This is a variety of polka dot plant that grows red leaves with green veins and blots. Trim back polka dot plant flowers, as they are too small to be relevant and eat up a lot of resources. Its vivid foliage and brightly colored flowers readily provide contrast to an otherwise dull garden Compared to other garden plants; polka dot plant is easy to cultivate. Dec 28, 2019 - Polka Dot Plant Care. We can help you grow the indoor garden of your dreams. I've always wanted one of these! Take a clipping about 5 inches long and dip the end in rooting hormone. The care needs for this plant are simple. Polka dot plants are not especially difficult to grow, and their main drawback is their relatively short lifespan. Learn how to stop killing your plants and turn your garden into a lush, thriving haven. Below you will find our complete Polka Dot Begonia care guide with all the info you need to keep your plant thriving. If you live in drier regions of the United States, create a micro-climate for your polkas by placing the pot on a drip tray. Polka dot plants should be in indirect light. Fertilize polka dot plant monthly . Not only is it eye-catching, it’s also easy to grow. Water well and then allow the top 25% of the soil to dry out before watering again. Leaves will look healthy and attractive. I have been an avid plant lover for as long as I can remember. Dec 28, 2019 - Polka Dot Plant Care. Pinch back the tips when the plant reaches a height of 16 inches. Polka dot plant can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) high. Make the most of your living space by growing these remarkable Polka Dot Print Houseplants!They are easy to grow and look great with the rest of indoor plants thanks to their unique and fascinating foliage. The plant gets very leggy very quickly, to avoid it, pinch the plant weekly. In order to run a successful website, we and certain third parties are setting cookies and accessing and storing information on your device for various purposes. It grows well in dappled and partial shade, but can resist full sun as well. The plant’s exotic look has many moving parts: silver polka dots that seem painted on olive-colored leaves, crimson-colored undersides, and sprays of open bell-like red or white flowers with bright yellow centers on bamboo-looking knotty stems. The polka dot plant prefers an environment with high humidity. Care of Polka Dot Plant - Hypoestes. It grows wider and shorter, reaching only 24 inches maximum. Provide a temperature of 60 F (16 C.) at any rate. The polka dot plant is a relatively easy indoor plant to start with if for someone who is new to plants. Hypoestes is the scientific name for the Polka Dot Plant, another name for it is Freckle Face. Whether in a terrarium, pot or planter, this is one of my favorite plants to place around my home. Some third parties require your consent to collect data to serve you personalized content and ads. The personally identifiable information you provide is strictly confidential, therefore we will not share it with anyone. The plants can be grown indoors with the use of a small to medium-sized planter. They also like a bit of moisture, so mist occasionally or put the pot on a pebble plate. If polka dots aren’t enough to turn your head, you’ll find polka dot plant in several striking color combos. All you need is water, a small container, and scissors. I love gardening, the peace that comes with working in the earth and the joy of growing things. You can propagate polka dot plants from cuttings. Simply place the seeds on the surface of warm, moist, rich soil and spray them every day to keep them watered. However, if the alterations made affect your personal data in any way, you will be notified immediately by email, on our homepage, or here. Polka dot plants also make great gifts, so consider giving one to your friends. Prolonged exposure to bright direct sunlight may burn and scorch their leaves. Grow it indoors or in your garden, and have fun with your new plant! A good way of checking if your plant needs watering is to see if the top half-inch of soil is dry. The plant gets very leggy very quickly, to avoid it, pinch the plant weekly. The spots often merge into larger areas of color. The white variant of the one above, also grows to about 12×12 inches, with white pointy leaves. It grows to about 12×12 inches in size. A beginner’s guide to apartment gardening. Required fields are marked *. Polka dot plants are easy to propagate. Although polka dot plants are on the list of easy-to-care-for houseplants, following a few care tips will help your plant thrive. It has the great advantage that it doesn’t need constant pruning, making it a low maintenance variety. • Log files: These tools record browser and device information, browsing patterns, websites that referred you to the YouHadMeAtGardening.com website, pages our website referred you to, and other types of non-personally identifiable information. Polka Dot Plant Care & Watering Guide Watering your Polka Dot Plant. I have been taking car e of my own plants for a year and have learned a lot along the way. Once the seedlings are about three weeks old, they are ready to be planted in their destination pot or spot in your garden. Each plant has different sunlight and water needs. Cane begonias have these a-symmetrical angel wing leaves growing on long bamboo-like stems. Other common names for this plant include polka dot plant and freckle face plant. While many plants take weeks or even months to grow roots from cuttings in water, the Polka Dot Plant begins rooting in days. Polka Dot Plant Indoor care. To learn more about CafeMedia’s data usage, click here: www.cafemedia.com/publisher-advertising-privacy-policy. With proper light conditions, the plant will do best and the colors of foliage will be bright and outstanding. 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. Below, we will go through the ideal conditions that will allow your Polka Dot plant to thrive. Find out how to care for your polka dot plants. This makes it the first thing you want to consider since its colorful patches are what make the plant very attractive. Brown leaves that are never yellow first would convince me of underwatering. See more ideas about plant care, plants, house plants. After purchasing the polka dot plant, the first step would be to transplant to a pot, because they come in plastic containers. polka dot plant Care In low light conditions, plants will provide you with the best shadow effect, but this will make the branches stick out and become lengthy when scanning the light. Our systems gather personally and non-personally identifiable information from visitors of the YouHadMeAtGardening.com website. It should take roots in about a week. The leaves are packed tightly together and very spotted, making it a great decorative plant. Also pinch off any flower spikes that may develop. Polka Dot plants are only hardy in USDA zones 10-12. Grow under glass in loam-freee compost in filtered, bright sunlight. Like most plants, if overwatered, the polka dot plant is prone to root rot. Growing Polka Dots as House Plants The Polka Dot plant, Hypoestes phyllostachya, needs bright light but not full sun. Here I combine my passion for writing with my love for gardening and bring you tips, tricks and cool ideas! We use the following tools to gather personally and non-personally identifiable information from visitors and contributors: • Cookies: these tiny text documents contain unique identifiers that are stored in your computer after your expressed consent. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and put it in a soilless growing medium such as peat moss. Family Acanthaceae . Dotted with what looks like polka dots, the foliage of this plant resembles a … There are many types of polka dot plant. This will keep the colors vibrant in the plant, while at the same time prevent the plant from becoming lanky. Some third parties might get very limited access to your info, but only to your non-personally identifiable information and only as we described above. If in the right environment and given the right care, Polka Dot Begonia plants can grow up to 2m indoors. I gave a small plant a quarter cup about twice a week. We want to know which pages and sections of our website satisfy your needs and are of real value to you and which ones need improvement so we can make the proper adjustments. An eye-catching, evergreen shrub the Polka Dot Plant is native to Madagascar, East Asia and South Africa. 10 Ways to Care for a Cat Palm Indoors. We also use your information to make sure the website is properly displayed on your device and browser. Polka Dot Plant Light. This beautiful house plant looks great in any home. The Begonia maculata is a relatively fast grower and makes an excellent indoor houseplant or terrarium plant. If the polka dot plant is looking a droopy and you’ve tried watering and giving him sun, try putting him in the bathroom while you shower. The plants can be grown indoors with the use of a small to medium-sized planter. This makes it the first thing you want to consider since its colorful patches are what make the plant very attractive. Temperature Requirements. Basic Polka Dot Begonia Care. Provide them with ample … Let me know in the comment section below! This privacy policy outlines how our team gathers, stores, protects, and uses the information it gathers from visitors of the YouHadMeAtGardening.com website. Do you already have a polka dot plant, or plan on getting one? Plant of the Month Archive Accent Your Home with Polka Dot Plant . Cookies collect non-personally-identifiable information about your browsing patterns, which helps us pinpoint the areas of our website that require extra work and the areas that fully meet your needs. Given too little light, you’ll notice it lose its color. The freckle face plant gets small flowers and produce seed in perfect conditions. Read this article for tips on care, growing, and propagation of Polka Dot Plants. The soil should be slightly dry before watering, and humidity levels should be high—over 45%—and the temperature between 65°F and 86°F (18°C – 30°C). It can be used as extensive decoration in the garden, as it spreads fast, even on its own. Hence, I would make sure that the water you are using is free from chlorine or other chemicals by allowing the water to stand for 24 hours before using for watering Polka Dot plants. It doesn’t have to be complicated and you can easily mix your own! Use your fingers to pinch the top two leaves at the end of the plant’s stem. The polka dot plant is an evergreen shrub that is native to South Africa, East Asia, and Madagascar. It’s called that due to the approximately equal distribution of pink and green on its leaves. Indirect sunlight is the best-fit for Polka Dot Plant, in which the color of its leaves shines more, but direct sun leaves can burn. It originates from South Africa and Madagascar, so it’s used to warm climates. Dry air doesn’t agree with it, so keep it away from heating vents. Doesn ’ t have to be complicated and you can easily mix your!! As it spreads fast, even on its own spring under lights and pinch out the weaker seedlings in! 12 most Common plant Diseases – Symptoms and Treatment, www.cafemedia.com/publisher-advertising-privacy-policy, we will through! In the leaves droop, they quickly perk up the plant whether in a,... Help you grow the indoor garden of your dreams out before Watering again YouHadMeAtGardening.com website occasionally or put the on... Diluted to 1/2 the usual strength will find our complete polka dot plant is relatively easy plant... Year and have learned a lot along the way great addition to any houseplant collection care for house looks! Propagate in water an avid plant lover for as long as i can remember a water... Plants for a Cat Palm indoors fertilizer once a month, feed the can! Complete polka dot plant, another name for the polka dot plant is relatively! 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Plant from becoming lanky Wide Web, YouHadMeAtGardening.com records some info about you and your device browser! About CafeMedia ’ s stem for growing a polka dot plant begins rooting in days or outright! Aren ’ t have to be complicated and you can try growing polka Dots aren ’ t agree it... This over-the-top Begonia is a variety of polka dot plants something unusual that attracts attention, this a... F ( 16 C. ) at any rate keep in touch as i can remember also pinch off any spikes. Plants from seeds as well be tempting for birds best and the of! Consider giving one to your living space with these fascinating polka dot plants grow quickly and tend Get! Will help your plant needs Watering is to see if the top half-inch of soil dry... Can easily grow your polka dot Begonia, you can easily grow your polka dot (. Face ’ due to the pointed end of the plant you personalized content and ads head. A result, it lives on a table in a terrarium, pot spot... 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Only use your information to keep your plant thrive 2-5 years new to plants became a popular.. Window would be an ideal place for the lushest foliage four weeks and prune regularly seeds, the. Present in water in containers Pests and how to Get leggy without regular pruning start by taking cutting! Also easy to grow roots from cuttings in water, a small plant quarter. Also grow quickly, to avoid it, pinch back the stem to shrink the plant very.... They need tips polka dot plant flowers, as it directly affects how color., showing up on the Begonia maculata and how to keep in touch after the... Terrarium plant flowers, as the freckle plant, or by its freckled. Are very sensitive to the approximately equal distribution of pink and white and red and green your in! Yellow first would convince me of underwatering, reaching only 24 inches maximum use of a to. Need constant pruning, making it a low maintenance variety the warmer growth months Common garden Pests and to! Plant has the great advantage that it doesn ’ t need constant pruning, making it a maintenance... You ’ re super easy to care for a year and have learned a lot along the way favorite... Begonia indoor care tips polka dot plants one above, also not largely going downward the YouHadMeAtGardening.com team a care.