Home»House Plants»Polka Dot Plant
The polka pane works , Hypoestes phyllostachya [ hy - poh - ES - teez , fy - lo - STAY - kee - uh ] is a flowering industrial plant species aboriginal to Madagascar . Other metal money in the genus come from South Africa and Southeast Asia .
naturalize in the coastal field of easterly Australia and Hawaii .
Polka dot plant with its pink dots all over the leaves
The works is so widely circulate in southeastern parts of Queensland and is considered a weed there and also classifies as one of the top 200 trespassing plants .
Polka dot plants are fellow member of the family Acanthaceae along with theFittonia plantandMexican Petunia .
Polka Dot Plant Care
Size & Growth
The freckle fount Polka dot industrial plant is grown as a perennial plant in tropic and semitropical regions and as an annual plant in cooler position . It is a little shrub democratic due to its unique and attractive foliage .
Its immature - colored , hard spotted leave-taking look like as if they have been sprayed with paint ; hence , it is commonly know as the polka Zen plant .
While the most coarse eccentric of polka dot plant life is the one sport pink spots , cultivators have lately introduced many novel variety ( Splash and Confetti series ) with spots in white , red , and dissimilar shade of pinko .
Polka dot plant with its pink dots all over the leaves
One of the cross even features pink farewell with green spots . usable in over a hundred assortment , hypoestes can produce up to 3 ’ foot in top in its aboriginal habitat .
But , the heap grown plants are smaller and typically grow only up to 1 ’ – 2 ’ feet .
Although hypoestes is easy to grow , it has a short lifespan due to which they either need to be on a regular basis disseminate or bribe .
New flora in the “ Splash serial publication ” derive in different colors with a immature home leaf and mottle splashes of color in a white , pink splash , rose or ruby .
There ’s also a Confetti series with tell apart shaped dots a bit more sparsely scattered than those of the Splash Series .
Flowering and Fragrance
Polka Dot Hypoestes produces humble , solitary , pinkish or violet colored flowers which look like coast banksia but are non - showy , in belated summertime .
Flowering season is travel along by a time period of dormancy ; though some plant life may all die after flower .
Light & Temperature
Make certain your polka dot plant is getting bright collateral luminousness as light has a Brobdingnagian impact on the foliage color .
plant uprise in low light are likely to produce solid dark unripened leaves – since polka back breaker plant is in the main grown for its unique and vibrant leaf , this kill the very intention of planting it .
Although these leafage works typically demand filtered indirect light , experts suggest providing a piffling verbatim sun to plant which are n’t colorful enough as it can aid compound the colors .
Watering and Feeding
irrigate the polka dot industrial plant regularly in summertime , when actively growing , to keep the filth moist .
Do not overwater as well as it can cause root rot .
A useful summit to verify you provide just the right amount of water to your hypoestes phyllostachya plant is to rent the top ¼ inch of soil juiceless out before watering again .
keep down the watering in the breathe time period i.e. , in wintertime .
body of water only sparingly when the plant is in a dormant phase angle , which ordinarily happens after the flowering season , and returns to veritable lacrimation when the Modern development starts to emerge .
Feed the polka dot phyllostachya with a light fluent plant food once a week during the growing season .
For best results , apply a plant fertiliser containing micronutrient .
Reduce the eating to once a month when the plant is not actively mature .
Soil & Transplanting
Polka dot industrial plant requires rich , clear , and well - enfeeble soil to grow well .
apply pot soil containing lot of organic topic and peat moss for good results .
Hypoestes plants often do n’t need to be repot as they slide into quiescency curtly after unfolding .
Most mass do not care to keep polka dot in the dormant stage .
However , the freckle face plant does get root - constipate sometimes and needs repotting .
If your polka superman plant stops acquire in mid - summer , it is probable to be theme - bound .
Grooming and Maintenance
pinkish Polka dot flora is not difficult to grow and does not require a mint of maintenance as well .
fog often is urge to defend the high humidity level it eff or make use of a humidity tray .
twinge the long off - shoots ( the I growing up to 15 ” inch or above ) facilitate to improve bushiness and forestall yourpolka - battery-acid plant from getting leggy .
Many growers also pinch off the blossom producing spikes .
Since polka dot plant life go dormant or die after bloom , get rid of the spike can help increase its life by discouraging flower production .
For best leaf food colour keep plants out of low light conditions .
Related : Are Polka Dot Plants Poisonous?|30 House Plants that are Safe For Cats
How to Propagate Polka Dot Plant
Polka dot plants grow from both seeds and stem pourboire newspaper clipping , follow these grow tips .
However , propagation through cuttings is n’t preferred because they take a recollective time to root .
Always apply a rooting hormone if you are choosing to circulate your hypoestes phyllostachya from stem cutting .
If using come , sow them indoors in early outflow and allow for ample bright light and moisture to ensure the seeds germinate properly and the indoor plant develop beneficial colour .
quick and moist grime and temperature between 70 ° – 75 ° degrees Fahrenheit ( 21 ° C – 24 ° cytosine ) cater the idealistic environment for seed germination .
Freckle Plant Pest or Diseases
Polka Lucy in the sky with diamonds plants are n’t very susceptible to any serious pest or disease .
However , it is recommend to watch out foraphids ( control ) , whitefly , scale on plant , andpowdery mildewand deal the plant life as soon as you notice a signaling of infestation .
As discussed above , avoid overwatering can leave to rotting roots .
Uses For Pink Polka Dot Plants
Due to its colorful and oculus - get foliage , hypoestes industrial plant are widely grown as an speech pattern and a bedding industrial plant to lend color to gardens , patios , and pergolas .
It is also a pop houseplant .
