How to Care for Polka Dot Plant Indoors and Outside, According to Gardening Experts

Polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) is a tropical plant beloved for its colorful foliage and low-maintenance reputation. Also known as freckle face, the polka dot plant typically features dark green leaves with pink spots, but other hybrids with white, red, or light green spots are also available. Polka dot plants are beautiful as houseplants and accents in the garden, where they're often grown as annuals. Best of all, this plant is pretty easy to care for. Here's what our gardening experts suggest when it comes to polka dot plant care. 

How to Care for a Polka Dot Plant

Polka plants are relatively easy to care for; here's what they need to thrive.

Sunlight 

Polka dot plants like partial shade. Its native home is on the rainforest floor in the Republic of Madagascar, where the leafy canopy of larger trees and plants cast shade on the much shorter polka dot plant. While these plants need some sun, the color of the leaves will fade if they're exposed to direct sunlight.

That said, if light levels are too low, you can create alternative problems. One of the most common problems with polka dot plants is excessive legginess, which is almost always due to lack of sunlight, says author Marianne Willburn. Inside your home, place polka dot plant in an east-facing window for indirect sunlight.

Water 

Polka dot plants prefer moist soil. Generally, they need about 1/2 inch of water once a week, but this will vary depending on the environment. Press your finger into the plant's soil about an inch deep and test for dryness. If you still detect moisture under the soil's surface, you can delay watering for a bit longer. Polka dot plants need moisture, but too much can cause root troubles. 

Soil 

The right soil will help you avoid over or underwatering your polka dot plant. Polka dot plants perform best in well-draining soil rich in organic matter. All-purpose potting soil amended with compost or peat moss should be sufficient.

Fertilizer 

As mentioned, polka dot plants do well in rich soil, so fertilizing periodically will help give these plants the nutrients they need to stay healthy. Apply a liquid plant fertilizer about once a month during the growing season and less often in the fall or winter. 

Temperature and Humidity 

As a tropical plant, the polka dot plant thrives year-round indoors in containers or outside in zones 10 or 11. If you live in a colder region, you can grow this plant as an annual during spring and summer as long as soil temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 

The polka dot plant also likes high humidity. If you live in an area with dry air or if your home is often dry, mist the plant regularly to boost humidity. Because it prefers high humidity conditions, the polka dot plant is often grown in terrariums, says gardening author Lisa Eldred Steinkopf.  

Types of Polka Dot Plants 

There are over one hundred cultivars of polka dot plant to choose from. Here are a few excellent examples to get you started.

• 'Carmina': Features green leaves splashed with red or pink.
• 'Hippo Rose': Has large, pink leaves that look beautiful in the landscape.
• 'Wit': Features green leaves and white mottling.
• 'Splash' series: Offers leaves in a variety of shades. 

How to Prune a Polka Dot Plant

Pruning your polka dot plant will encourage bushier, healthier growth. To do so, remove leggy or yellow foliage just above a leaf node. Use healthy cuttings to make new plants.

Propagating Polka Dot Plants 

The polka dot plant can easily be propagated through stem cuttings.

1. Using clean, sharp pruners, remove a 3- to 4-inch stem cutting from the plant.
2. Remove the bottom set of leaves.
3. Put the cutting in a glass of water and place it in an area with indirect sunlight.
4. Once the roots are about 1 inch long, pot the cutting in a container filled with well-draining soil.

How to Grow Polka Dot Plants From Seed 

To grow polka dot plants from seed, sow the seeds on top of the soil's surface either outdoors well after the last frost or indoors in a container. Keep the soil moist. Once the seeds germinate, transplant the seedlings outdoors or into a larger container. 

Potting and Repotting Polka Dot Plants 

It's easy to pot polka dot plants. "Small, newly purchased plants will benefit from an immediate repotting into a container with a larger diameter (2 to 3 inches) in good-quality potting soil," Willburn says. "Make sure the crown of the plant is not buried when repotting," she adds.

When the plant is six months to a year old, you may want to move it to a slightly larger pot that is a couple of inches larger in diameter, particularly if it's starting to look root-bound at the bottom. Spring is a good time to do this, as this is when the plant is actively growing. 

Common Pests & Diseases 

Polka dot plants can be susceptible to certain pests. "Spider mite is a pain with these plants, and more humid conditions help with keeping it at bay," says Willburn. "Pinch it back hard before treating it and discard the infested stems." Scale can also be an issue and can infest the plant. "If this happens, it is probably best to discard the plant and begin again," she says. While this plant is relatively disease-resistant, it may suffer from root rot if it's overwatered. 

Common Problems 

Any houseplant can suffer from a problem now and then, including polka dot plants. Here are some issues you might notice. Keep in mind that polka dot plants aren't long-lived, so don't fret if its health starts to decline around the two-year mark.

Dropping Leaves

Are leaves falling unexpectedly? "If the delicate leaves drop without yellowing, the plant is too dry," says Willburn. Give your plant a deep drink and be diligent about checking the soil for dryness.

Fading Leaves

Too much or too little sunlight is usually the cause of leaves that are fading in color. Assess the lighting conditions of the area where the polka dot plant is and adjust as needed.  

Yellow Leaves

Occasionally, polka dot plant leaves will turn yellow. "Yellowing leaves that are dropping usually means you are overwatering the plant," says Willburn.