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Polka dot plants (Hypoestes phyllostachya) are common houseplants with colorful displays of foliage. They are heavily hybridized to produce a variety of colors and types of leaf spots. Also known as the freckle face plant, this houseplant can grow in any type of indirect light but does its best color in lower light situations. Polka Dot Plant Info An interesting part of the Polka Dot Plant Info is that the plant has been miscategorized for years. It is now recognized as a member of the Hyphoestes group of over 100 plants. Polka dot plants are native to Madagascar. They are perennial herbaceous shrubs whose stems become woody with age.
In its natural habitat, the plant can grow up to 1 m tall, but pot-grown specimens are usually smaller. The foliage is the main reason to grow this plant. The leaves are dotted with darker spots of green and a base color of pink. Breeders have developed many other varieties, some mottled green but others mottled with other shades. There are purple, scarlet, lavender and white speckled leaves.
The Splash series is available in a variety of colors with a green base sheet and mottled splashes of pink, white, rose or red. There’s also a confetti series with actual dot-like dots that are a bit more sparsely scattered than those of the splash series. Growing polka dot plants Polka dot plants do well anywhere indoors, but you can also grow them as an annual in temperate to warm zones. The foliage is an attractive foil for brightly colored perennial flowers and creates an attractive mound. This delightful plant looks great tucked away in a planter with other foliage plants, as part of a color display with flowers, or in summer borders for added texture. Polka dot plants are easy to propagate. The freckle face plant gets small flowers and produces seeds in perfect conditions. Seeds germinate in warm, moist soil at temperatures of 70-75 F. (21-27 C.).
However, the easiest method of growing a spotted plant is from cuttings. Remove the end growth at a node and pull off the leaves closest to the end. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and place it in a soilless growing medium such as peat moss. Keep evenly moist until cutting, then treat as you would an adult plant. Polka Dot Plant Care The plant will give you its best color when in a low light situation, but this will cause the canes to grow longer and become leggy as they seek light. Indirect bright sunlight is the ideal spot for this indoor plant. Maintain temperatures of at least 60 F. (16 C.).
