Polkadot Plant (Hypoestes Phyllostachya) Care
| Scientific Name | Hypoestes Phyllostachya |
| Common Name | Polka Dot Plant |
| Height | 10-50 cm |
| Spread | 40-50 cm |
| Soil | Rich & well-draining |
| Light | Bright, indirect light |
| Water | Regular watering from base. Water when top few cm are dry |
Polkadot plants are definitely one of the most popular choices for terrariums. Their bright, mottled foliage adds a wonderful burst of colour and they're easy to maintain and propagate.
Appearance
Hypoestes come in a variety of wonderful colours. I stock red, white, and pink. The intensity of colour and mottling is determined by light conditions. They will lose their variegation in low light conditions.
Care
This is a wonderfully simple plant to take care of. Water when the top of the soil is dry, and from the base. Avoid wetting the leaves. The plant will start to droop when thirsty and quickly recovers with a good drink.
In low light conditions polkadots can get a bit legging. This is easily maintained by regular (weekly) pruning of top leaves. Encouraging low-lying and bushy growth makes them a real stand-out number in terrariums.
Propagation
This plant also ticks the boxes when it comes to propagation. No rooting hormone is required. Simply take off a sizable growth at the node and pop in water. Once you've got a few inches of roots pop into a well-drained potting mix.
Looking for Polkadot plants?
I stock a range of colours and include hypoestes in my terrariums terrarium plant mixes. You can check them out here.