Polka Dot Plant Combo Pack

Light Needs

Bright Indirect Light

Mature Height

6 - 18 Inches

Mature Spread

1 - 2 Feet

Feature

Pet Safe

Polka Dot Plants are one of the most versatile plants available. They are beautiful, easy-to-care-for houseplants, but they are also grown as annuals for outdoor containers and hanging baskets. The combination of red, pink, and green-spotted leaves adds a brilliant pop of color to containers with other shade-loving plants like Ferns and Hostas. Hypoestes phyllostachya thrives in bright indirect light when grown as a houseplant. Plants growing outdoors will grow better in full or partial shade.

Best Locations For Growing Polka Dot Plant

The compact size of the Polka Dot Plant is perfect for growing on an east- or west-facing window sill. Areas with high humidity, such as a kitchen or bathroom, are perfect for keeping Polka Dot Plant vigorous and perky.

Polka Dot Plant Sunlight Requirements

Polka Dot Plant prefers indirect but bright light. Placing this plant in full sun for longer than 2-4 hours a day will scorch the foliage and bleach its colors. Polka Dot Plant requires far lower light levels when it is grown outdoors. Try a position on a patio with part shade or under a tree in bright shade to keep this plant happy.

Polka Dot Plant Care

Good drainage and loose, soil-based potting soil are crucial to keeping Polka Dot Plant from being waterlogged. Ensure the container you use has drainage holes and that any saucers underneath are emptied after watering. Regular pruning helps Polka Dot Plant maintain dense growth. Every 2-3 weeks during the summer,  pinch the tips of the stems just above a set of leaves. New growth will soon appear. The pinched-out stems can be potted into perlite as cuttings and grown into new plants.

Watering Polka Dot Plant

Polka Dot Plants like consistent moisture around their roots without waterlogged or soggy soil. When the top 1-2 inches of potting soil are dry, water thoroughly with room temperature water. During the active growing season, watering should be checked 1-2 times a week, depending on the size of the pot and humidity in the area where it is growing. Growth slows in the winter, and the watering can be reduced to every 10-14 days. Add humidity by misting Polka Dot Plant with distilled water or tap water that has been left to sit for at least 24 hours. Minerals in hard or chemically-softened water will leave white spots on leaves and clog the plant's pores. 

Feeding Polka Dot Plant

Hypoestes are heavy feeders and require fertilizer applications every two weeks during the spring and summer. Liquid houseplant food is acceptable to use. Look for a balanced ratio of NPK. Apply the feeding in place of watering and dilute the fertilizer to half  the recommended dosage on the label. Be careful not to get any fertilizer on the leaves, which can burn them. Fertilizing outdoor Polka Dot Plant containers yearly with a granular, slow-release formulation is an easy way to ensure that the plants get a little nutrition every time they are watered.

SKU:

Hypoestes_Combo-HP