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Annual Flower,
Houseplant
Also known as Hypoestes, Freckle Face
Hypoestes phyllostachya
Acanthaceae Family
Synonym: Hypoestes sanguinolenta
With leaves spotted and dotted with freckles and splotches in shades of white, pink, green or red, Polka-dot Plant is a colorful, whimsical addition to the garden border.
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Site Characteristics
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Sunlight:
Soil conditions:
- requires well-drained soil
Prefers high humidity and warm weather.
Special locations:
- outdoor containers
- indoors as a houseplant
- The polka dot plant has a long history of growth as a houseplant. Indoors, it prefers filtered sun and rich, well-drained soil. Mist it often to maintain the high humidity levels it loves.
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Plant Traits
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Lifecycle:
annual
Ease-of-care:
easy
Height:
0.5 to 1.5 feet
Spread:
0.5 to 1 feet
Bloom time:
mid-summer
Flower color:
inconspicuous
Produces small flowers, but is grown mainly for its attractive foliage.
Foliage color:
variegated
Vividly spotted with red, white or pink on a dark green background.
Foliage texture:
medium
Shape:
- cushion, mound or clump
- upright
Starts out rounded and gets taller and more upright as the season goes on.
Shape in flower:
- same as above
- inconspicuous flower
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Special Considerations
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Special characteristics:
- deer resistant
- non-aggressive
- non-invasive
- not native to North America
- South Africa
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Growing Information
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How to plant:
Propagate by
seed,
cuttings
- Sow seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost. Cuttings can be taken at any time, but root best in the spring and summer.
Germination temperature: 70 F to 75 F
Days to emergence: 14
Maintenance and care:
Pinch back the plants regularly to maintain a bushy growth habit. Fertilize plants grown in containers once a month.
More growing information: How to Grow Annuals
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Varieties
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Look for varied spot sizes and color combinations (pink and white spots, etc.)‘Splash Select’ Series: green-leaved plants with four different leaf spot varieties: pink, white, rose or red. Leaf spots are more like splotches, and cover large areas of the leaves. ‘Confetti’ Series: green leaves spotted with one of four colors; red, white, pink or rose. Leaf spotting a bit more limited than ‘Splash’ series.
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