Not only is it eye-catching, it’s also easy to grow. If you are starting from seeds, sow the seeds indoors in early spring under lights and pinch out the weaker seedlings. The plants can be grown indoors with the use of a small to medium-sized planter. It’s very easy to spot the polka dot plant by its staple freckled leaves. It prefers partial shade, in slightly acidic to acidic soil, meaning it will appreciate your coffee grinds. Pruning polka dot plant can be tricky when you are in a condition where it becomes leggy. The care needs for this plant are simple. <3 love you sprout lol Polka dot plants will have the best leaf color if you give them bright light but keep them shaded from direct sun outdoors, which can scorch the leaves and cause the color to fade. All you need is water, a small container, and scissors. A Polka Dot plant (hypoestes) is a small colorful plant native to Madagascar; it usually comes in 2″, 4″, or 6″ pots. Polka dot Begonias are part of the so-called cane begonias. Too much light or too little light causes the colors in the leaves of this plant to fade. 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. I gave a small plant a quarter cup about twice a week. Polka dot plant care. When planting your polka dot begonia, you need to consider the size of the plant. The freckle face plant gets small flowers and produce seed in perfect conditions. Hypoestes phyllostachya (polka dot plant) Like Fittonia, Hypoestes is appreciated for its interesting leaf colors and patterns. Subscribe today! This video will teach you tricks & tips for keeping your polka dot houseplant healthy & happy as an indoor plant! The unusually bright daylight is the ideal place inside this plant. A good way of checking if your plant needs watering is to see if the top half-inch of soil is dry. 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. If you choose to opt in for our newsletter, we will also use your information to keep in touch. 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. 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. Polka dot plants need fast-draining soil, with a high nutrient component. A beginner’s guide to apartment gardening. 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. It can be used as extensive decoration in the garden, as it spreads fast, even on its own. Polka Dot Plant Light. 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 has the great advantage that it doesn’t need constant pruning, making it a low maintenance variety. Some new varieties have pink leaves with green patches. Pink polka dot plant is well worth adding to your indoor garden. Polka dot plants enjoy a constantly moist soil, without it being soggy. Polka dot plant likes a fertile soil. High humidity is preferred. 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. Outdoors, the polka dot plant enjoys a spot with dappled shade, away from the direct midday sun. Suggested uses. 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 unusually bright daylight is the ideal place inside this plant. For example, you can use general potting soil mixed with perlite for drainage and throw in a layer of compost for extra nutrients. For best results, feed every two to four weeks and prune regularly. Southern gardeners should consider the polka dot begonia a shade plant, but those in colder climes can put them in bright windows with limited direct morning or afternoon sun. Grow it indoors or in your garden, and have fun with your new plant! Polka Dot Plants are super easy to propagate. It’s called that due to the approximately equal distribution of pink and green on its leaves. Polka Dot Plant Care & Watering Guide Watering your Polka Dot Plant. This beautiful house plant looks great in any home. Prolonged exposure to bright direct sunlight may burn and scorch their leaves. Brown leaves that are never yellow first would convince me of underwatering. The polka dot plant prefers an environment with high humidity. 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. The personally identifiable information you provide is strictly confidential, therefore we will not share it with anyone. Polka dot plants can be grown either from seed or cuttings. The Begonia maculata is a relatively fast grower and makes an excellent indoor houseplant or terrarium plant. It needs well-lit places and fertile soil to grow. Share it with us! 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. Like any other website on the World Wide Web, YouHadMeAtGardening.com records some info about you and your device during your visit. It grows wider and shorter, reaching only 24 inches maximum. After purchasing the polka dot plant, the first step would be to transplant to a pot, because they come in plastic containers. The polka dot plant is a relatively easy indoor plant to start with if for someone who is new to plants. Polka dot plants are easy to propagate. Like most plants, if overwatered, the polka dot plant is prone to root rot. "If it is in much direct sun it tends to wash out and lose its intense color," says Green. Polka dot plant care: soil and planting Soil. The polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) is hardy in your winters, so you can grow it outdoors 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. The Begonia maculata is a relatively fast grower and makes an excellent indoor houseplant or terrarium plant. source: Flickr. This plant is one of the quirkier favorites among homeowners and gardeners. Polka Dot Begonia Indoor Care Tips The polka dot plant is a relatively easy indoor plant to start with if for someone who is new to plants. Polka Dot plants are only hardy in USDA zones 10-12. Luckily, nothing is further from the truth. When I give my garden talk on decorating your home with houseplants, polka dot plant (hypoestes phyllostachya) is one of my favorite examples. These plants tend to get pretty leggy, so to keep them nice and lush you need to cut off the tips of the stems every one to two weeks. ©2018-2020 YouHadMeAtGardening.com | All rights reserved. Polka dot plant can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) high. Dec 28, 2019 - Polka Dot Plant Care. 10 Ways to Care for a Cat Palm Indoors. With their unique angel-shaped dotted leaves, Polka Dot Begonia is a fairly easy plant to care for once you know what to do! Whether in a terrarium, pot or planter, this is one of my favorite plants to place around my home. Indoors, polka dot plants prefer rich, well-drained soil, frequent misting to recreate tropical humidity, monthly fertilizing, and filtered sun or part shade locations that keep its colors vibrant. We recommend feeding your Polka Dot Begonia every month in the warmer growth months. The Polka Dot Plant, or Hypoestes phyllostachya, is not only super cute, but also an easy to care for house plant. It enjoys neutral soils and partial sun exposure. Plant care advice and exclusive monthly mails. Indirect light, partial shade and low-light positions suit best for Polka dot plant. Pruning: Polka dot plants grow quickly and tend to get leggy without regular pruning. This plant is diverse in its uses. More About the Hypoestes. Treat severe outbreaks by spraying the entire plant with horticultural oil, mixed at a rate of 1 1/4 … Learn how to stop killing your plants and turn your garden into a lush, thriving haven. see more; Synonyms Hypoestes sanguinolenta Eranthemum sanguinolentum. It was under fluorescent lights, the more light the more water. Indoors, place your plants in bright, filtered sunlight of an east- or west-facing window and rotate the plant regularly. After transplanting, add more soil and pack it in. Polka Dot Plant Care. If you’re looking for something unusual that attracts attention, this over-the-top begonia is a great choice. Polka dot plants also make great gifts, so consider giving one to your friends. An eye-catching, evergreen shrub the Polka Dot Plant is native to Madagascar, East Asia and South Africa. With proper light conditions, the plant will do best and the colors of foliage will be bright and outstanding. Your email address will not be published. Seeds are easy to germinate, and the plant can be started from cuttings. If you want your plant to continue growing, repot every year or so or when you notice the roots are coming out of the pot. I have been an avid plant lover for as long as I can remember. 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. Polka Dot Plant Care Guide. This beautiful house plant looks great in any home. During the fall and winter, fertilize every other month. You can propagate polka dot plants from cuttings. 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. Seeds germinate in warm, moist soils where temperatures are 70-75 F. (21-27 C.). Originally the only type available had pink spots covering the small, dark green foliage, but today many other hybrids are available with splashes of … Some use it as a singular houseplant, others like it for adding accents to garden beds outdoors. Bright, indirect light is ideal for polka dot plant care. Plant of the Month Archive Accent Your Home with Polka Dot Plant . See more ideas about plant care, plants, house plants. 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