The Polka-Dot Plant Is A Pretty Pink Houseplant With Speckled Leaves
When you're looking for a plant that pops, turn to polka-dot plant. It not only has the most charming name around, it also has foliage to match. This plant has the most eye-catching leaves in the garden thanks to its mottled multi-color patterns. It's also one of the easiest plants to grow indoors, so if your green thumb needs some practice, this is a great pick for you.
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Fantastic Foliage
The most popular of the polka-dot plants—which are also known as Hypoestes phyllostachya—has leaves speckled with pink and green. 'Pink Brocade' is a favorite houseplant that can be counted on for that foliage mix. Other varieties of polka-dot plants have foliage that's green splashed with deep red or cream. 'Confetti' has green leaves spotted with white, pink, red, or maroon. 'Splash' also has green foliage dotted with rose, white, and red. Another popular variety is 'Camina,' which has dramatic green and red leaves.
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Plant Care
Polka-dot plants can be easily grown in containers as houseplants. When grown indoors, they require bright, indirect light, and moderate water. Under these conditions, they'll stay relatively compact and will grow to about 1 to 2 feet tall and wide. They can also be grown outdoors as annuals, where they'll need partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. Keep them consistently moist, and try to keep the soil from drying out too much. Polka-dot plants take well to both indoor and environments because they thrive in humidity. When tending them, they'll appreciate regular fertilizer from spring to fall.
Plant Problems
While polka-dot plants are relatively easy to grow, gardeners can run into some issues when cultivating them. Unfortunately, they can fall prey to scale, flies, and aphids. Telltale signs of pests are discolored foliage or leaves with holes in them. Keep a close eye on the foliage, and treat the plant with pest removal aids to help revive and restore in the event of unwelcome visitors.
Have you ever grown a polka-dot plant? What's your favorite type of houseplant to grow in your home?
