Polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) make summer gardens stand out. It has the cutest name and foliage. The garden’s most attractive leaves are this plant’s mottled multi-color patterns. The most common type features green leaves with pink flecks, while others have red or cream. Small, tubular purple flowers appear as spikes, although the plant is grown for its foliage. Growth is fast, maturing at 1–2 feet. After frost, plant outdoors in USDA Zones 10-11. It’s one of the easiest indoor plants to grow, so if you need practice, try it.
Plant Characteristics:
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Polka, flamingo, freckle, measles, and pink dots. |
| Botanical Name | Hypoestes phyllostachya is an annual houseplant in the Acanthusceae family. |
| Mature Size | 1-2 Feet tall, 1-2 Feet broad. |
| Solar Exposure | Shaded, partial, filtered. |
| Soil Type | Highly organic, well-drained, moist, loamy potting soil. The soil pH is slightly acidic (5.8-6.2). |
| Hardiness Zones | 10-11 |
| Native Land | Africa |
Caring for the polka dot plant is necessary. Polka dot houseplants grow well in pots. Indoor plants need bright, indirect light and modest water. These circumstances will keep them compact and grow to one to two feet tall and wide. Annuals in partial shade and wet, well-drained soil can be cultivated outside. Maintain regular moisture and prevent soil dryness. Polka dot plant is grown for its colorful foliage, not its tiny purple or pink flowers. Pinch leggy plants encourage bushier growth and prevent blossoming.
Light
Growing polka dot plants in the South requires just enough light. Never place your polka dot plant in direct sunlight, which might burn the foliage. Deep shade can also cause spindly, dull plants. Polka dot plant thrives in early sun or dappled shade. This plant needs different amounts of sunlight depending on where you reside. The northerly location can accept more direct sunlight.
Indoors, cultivate polka dot plants in bright, indirect light a few feet from a window or near an eastern-facing window for morning sun.
Soil
The Polka dot plant thrives in organically rich, well-drained, somewhat acidic soil. For pots, use potting soil with peat or compost for organic matter and perlite or pumice for drainage. Polka dot plant likes crumbly, fertile flower beds dirt. Peat and compost lift heavy soils and provide nutrients.
Water
This tropical plant needs fairly wet soil to avoid withering and leaf drop. If they wilt, polka dot plants usually recover with water. Container plants thrive when somewhat damp but not saturated. Water them when the top 1/2 inch of soil dries. How often to water polka dot plant? Well, water houseplants less in winter and often in summers.
Air temperature and humidity
Because of humidity, polka dot plants thrive outdoors in summer. The plants can survive at 50°F but won’t grow until outdoor temps reach 60°F. As an annual, polka dot plant flowers and seeds in late summer or fall. Pinch back stems to lengthen its life, and it can survive winter indoors or in a frost-free area. Spray your plant occasionally if your home has low humidity.
Fertilizer
Water-soluble houseplant fertilizer should be used monthly throughout the warm season to container plants. Cover bedding plants with compost in April.
How to propagate a polka dot plant
Despite their short lifespans, polka dot plants are easy to reproduce and grow in your garden. You can’t propagate patented plants, so get another Splash Select Pink at the garden center. To propagate polka dot plant from cuttings:
- Use sharp, sterilized pruners or flower snips to cut a 4-inch stem.
- Remove bottom leaves.
- Put the stem’s bottom in water. Submerge at least one stem node. Place the glass near a window but out of direct light. Change the water weekly to keep it clean. Roots should form in a week and be transferred when they reach two inches.
- Place your cutting two inches deep in a pot of moist, light, high-quality potting soil. Gardeners who skip this step find the cuttings grow just as easily.
- Maintain moist soil and bright, indirect light until the plant is well-rooted and growing. Thereafter, Pin back leggy stems.
Grow Polka Dot Plant From Seed
If you’re growing polka dot plants seeds outdoors, start seeds 8–10 weeks before your last frost date. Seeds germinate in room-temperature soil in less than a week:
- Put moist potting mix in a small pot.
- Use a permeable, well-drained potting mix with peat moss.
- Lightly press several seeds into the potting mix, spacing them and exposing them to light.
- Five or eight seeds can be used in a four- or five-inch container.
- Protect the pot with clear plastic and place in strong indirect light. Spray water on the potting mix as needed.
- Take off the plastic when the seeds sprout.
- Water to moderate soil moisture.
- When moving polka dot plants outdoors, wait until temperatures consistently exceed 50°F before hardening off. Start by placing the pot in a shady place for an hour on a warm day, then gradually increase the time outdoors and expose it to morning sun or filtered sunlight.
Are polka dot plant toxic to cats?
A cat chewing polka dot plant leaves is usually safe. The plant won’t poison your cat because it’s nontoxic. This plant is safe for cats. Non-toxic doesn’t mean it should be consumed. Polka dot plants aren’t natural for cats and shouldn’t be fed often.
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