We ’re dive back into the world of aroid houseplants with a lovely classic ! rent me usher in you to Syngonium genus Podophyllum , better known as the arrowhead flora . various , comparatively easy to worry for and available in scores of unlike beautifully colored cultivars , this one is truly punishing to fend .
get ’s get into everything you need to know about Syngonium podophyllum and how to grow your own arrowhead plant life indoors .
- This is also the name of a entirely dissimilar African genus of aroids , so to prevent confusion , have ’s not use this one .
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About Syngonium podophyllum
Natural habitat
The arrowhead plant is an evergreen vining flora naturally found in moist tropical region from Mexico all the way down to Brazil . harmonize to a 1981 review , this pass water it the most widespread fellow member of its genus , Syngonium . The species prefers lower - altitude home ground , commonly no more than 2,500 feet . As a creeping epiphyte , it vines across the woodland floor and up the lower remnant of tree torso , attempt the sun and tie itself with aery roots the higher it climbs .
( These clingy aeriform roots are distinctive of other epiphytes , likeSwiss cheese plants , mini monstera , sweetheart Hoyas , flamingo bloom , Christmas cacti , andair plant . )
The tropic forest habitat of the arrowhead plant are characterized by high rainfall with no dry season , gamey temperatures class - round , and in high spirits levels of air humidness . All handy factors to keep in mind if you ’re looking to successfully grow an arrowhead industrial plant in your home !
Did you know?
Syngonium podophyllum is naturalized in many areas outside its original range . This includes the southern US , Seychelles , Singapore , Hawaii , and various other countries .
Description
As I mentioned , Syngonium podophyllum is a vining industrial plant . You ’ll often see it sold as a juvenile with barely any visible stem , but as it grow , more and more stems with air roots will begin to pop up . The plant will start looking for a surface to wax like it would in the wild , and if you do n’t provide it with a moss magnetic pole , your Syngonium will start up to hang downwards and become a track plant .
‘ Podophyllum ’ means ‘ with leave of absence like groundwork , ’ and it ’s hard to argue with that , although apparently some folks find them more arrowhead - shaped ( hence the common name ) . Whatever the leaves prompt you of , they vary in appearing accord to the works ’s age .
Juvenile arrowhead plants sport that typical single - leaved , pointed look , while ripe leaf on plant that are allow to climb are really multi - lobate . This create it await like there are multiple leave on each stem .
Most houseplant enthusiasts are so used to immature arrowhead plants that they would have trouble agnise an erstwhile specimen ! middling cool how a plant changes , if you ask me .
Syngonium podophyllum varieties
There are two naturally occurring variety of arrowhead plant currently recognized : genus Syngonium podophyllum var . Peliocladum ( found in Costa Rica and Panama ; Croat , 1981 ) and Syngonium podophyllum var . Podophyllum ( obtain from Mexico to Brazil ) . There are wad of subtle visual differences within the genus , though , depend on where the plant is found .
As for military man - made change … the “ original ” arrowhead plant is already a pretty nice species to depend at , with green foliage streak with lighter leaf veins . However , as nurseries discovered , this aroid also bring itself implausibly well for selective polish . An array of different - colored cultivars has been create — we’d be here for hours if I tried to discuss them all — and there are also a few that stand out due to their unusual leaf shape and size .
Probably the most extensive is the Allusion Series ™ by AgriStarts . This glasshouse holds a Brobdingnagian range of different arrowhead plant cultivars , which you’re able to watch on theirSyngonium page .
Here are a few of the most vulgar ( but by no mean the only ) arrowhead industrial plant you may stumble upon at your local plant store or garden center :
I ’d also like to give a little cry - out to my personal favorites , although they ’re not very well-off to trail down : the Confetti seam . It consists of Syngonium ‘ Confetti ’ , ‘ Confetti Tricolor ’ , and ‘ Milk Confetti ’ and is , of course , characterise by its specked appearance .
Where to buy Syngonium podophyllum plants :
Caring for Syngonium podophyllum
Light and temperature
The arrowhead plant is a comparatively lowly - ignitor coinage . After all , it by nature forms part of the rainforest underwood , meaning it is n’t used to being savage with sun .
Related : Dark Room ? 9 Actual Low - Light Plants That Do n’t Need a Lot of Sun
This being said , low light does n’t imply what many get houseplant partisan consider it does — your Syngonium podophyllum will still need to be close to a windowpane to thrive .
You regrettably ca n’t employ it to spruce up a blue nook in your rest home unless you use artificial lighting . Just do n’t place it near a window that receives a lot of unmediated sun , at least not without careful acclimatisation .
Temperature - wise , this is a tropical plant , so it does n’t care the cold . Mine have done well down to 59 ° F with no hurt done , but I probably would n’t push my fate any further . High temperature , on the other paw , are not a problem . Room temporary is perfect , but your works should be capable to withstand much warmer without emergence as well .
Water and humidity
Although the rainforests this plant naturally grows in are characterized by their very high annual rain levels , I ’ve found that my arrowhead does better if I avoid being too heavy - handed with the watering can . I keep mine lightly moist during the summer month when they ’re actively putting out new foliage ; this tends to make out down to two tearing a week .
In the dead of winter , you may not have to water your arrowhead plant for up to two week . The grease is best left to dry out about halfway . Not sure what the wet condition is ? Just go for the ol’ digit trick : If the soil feel just about dry , you may give your Syngonium podophyllum a sip .
If you often block to water your houseplant , you might regard grow Syngonium podophyllum hydroponically . It ’s an excellentplant species for growing in water(with none of the tidy sum of potting soil ) .
In footing of air humidness , this one is on the exonerative side , but it still really does n’t like thing too ironic . you’re able to apply an inexpensive digital hygrometer likethis oneto see where you ’re at , particularly if your tropical houseplant tend to show dry leaf gratuity . If the humidity is systematically under 40 percent , you may want to invest in a humidifier or maturate your arrowhead works in a terrarium surroundings .
Soil and planting
Although the arrowhead plant is an aroid , it does n’t seem to appreciate very loose arum mix like some other appendage of this family do ( Philodendron ‘ pinkish Princess’andAlocasia ‘ Polly ’ , for lesson ) .
Instead , go for something that ’s still well - draining but also fat . A good model would be 50 percent regular houseplant potting soil , 25 percent coco coir , sphagnum moss or peat , and 25 percent perlite . you could also add some dirt ball casting , which is a great fertilizer .
The coir , moss or peat insure the soil curb some moisture , while theperliteallows the surplusage to debilitate easy , preventing root rot due to stand up water . Do n’t concern if this go like a lot of stuff and nonsense to buy , as all these dirt amendment can be used for a wide mixed bag of houseplant . They ’re always handy to have on hand .
In terms of planters , deliberate whether you ’d care to leave your Syngonium vining down , or let it climb upwards on a moss pole . The former mean a hanging plantation owner may be ready to hand , while for the latter a normal planter is gravid . you’re able to post the plant to its moss celestial pole once you see the first signs of stems and air roots pop up up .
Arrowhead flora are great prospect for arise in weewee . Not submerged in the aquarium , although you ’ll sometimes see them sold for that purpose ; the leave involve to stay dry . Instead , pop up just the roots in your fish tank ( or in a vase , or LECA , whatever you favor ) .
Recommended products for Syngonium podophyllum works fear :
Fertilizing
Unless you just repot your arrowhead plant ( especially if you added some dirt ball castings ) , this metal money will apprize the occasional feeding during the spring and summer grow time of year . you’re able to mix a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer ( at half - strength ) into its weewee every other workweek if it ’s growing well and producing plenty of new leaf .
Do n’t apply plant food during wintertime of if your Syngonium podophyllum is unhappy . It wo n’t set off new growth and can actually cause damage to the roots .
recommend fertilizer for Syngonium genus Podophyllum :
Pruning
Your arrowhead plant wo n’t need to be pruned unless it ’s become very unruly and the feeling is bothering you . You may have to remove the occasional crispy leaf ( it ’s normal for houseplants to get disembarrass of some of their old foliage ) , but that ’s about it .
Dividing or repotting
I ’ve establish that in the case of Syngonium podophyllum , dividing wo n’t unremarkably be necessary . They do n’t lean to spread that much in terms of width , focusing much more strongly on upward growth or else .
you’re able to repot every one to two years count on how well your plant is doing , die up a can sizing if the root arrangement has become very large or just refreshing the soil if it has n’t .
Propagating Syngonium podophyllum
As with almost all aroids , propagating Syngonium genus Podophyllum is a total walkover , specially on more mature plants that have intelligibly exposed stems . If your plant is still a babe you ’ll have to go the partitioning route instead , but that ’s not a trouble . Most specimen consist of multiple shoots in the same potty , which can easily be separated .
Here ’s how dividing an arrowhead plant life lick :
catch a plant life with visible stems ? Perfect ! you may still divide , but if you prefer , you may also take newspaper clipping :
Common questions about Syngonium podophyllum care
Do arrowhead plants like to be root bound?
Syngonium podophyllum does not like to be root bound , so every one to two years , repot your arrowhead flora in a stack that ’s one size up , or part the plant life and sens up individual sections if you favor smaller plant .
Do arrowhead plants need support?
Syngonium genus Podophyllum is an evergreen climbing flora , and will lead off to vine as it ages . you may train the vines up a moss rod , treillage , or some other support , or have it naturally cascade down a advert basket .
Is Syngonium podophyllum toxic to cats and dogs?
Aroids like the arrowhead plant life are considered “ toxic , ” but their perniciousness does run to be overstated . Their sap is full-bodied in Ca oxalate vitreous silica which cause a burning sensation in the mouth . That being said , take a bite out of a Syngonium is highly unlikely to cause more than some pain in the neck and swelling .
Offer piddle and hope they ’ve learned their lesson ; sometimes it ’s necessary to move the plant out of the way of life if your furry supporter is a repeat wrongdoer .
Sources :
https://wcsp.science.kew.org/furtherInformation.do?name_id=199060
Chong , K. Y. , Ang , P. T. , & Tan , H. T. W. ( 2010 ) . identicalness and spread of an alien Syngonium species in Singapore . Nature in Singapore , 3 , 1 - 5 .
Croat , T. B. ( 1981 ) . A rescript of Syngonium ( Araceae ) . chronological record of the Missouri Botanical Garden , 565 - 651 .
Matyot , P. ( 1999 ) . The arrowhead vine , Syngonium podophyllum Schott ( Family Araceae ) , a possible encroacher in Seychelles . Phelsuma , 7 , 72 - 73 .
