Hypoeste Phyllostachya, The Polka Dot Plant.
A pretty little plant with brightly spotted leaves that look great en masse. Not a difficult plant to grow. Just be wary if you find that it produces flowers, which would normally signify that your plant is happy and thriving, but with Polka Dots usually triggers the demise of the plant. Simply pinch the flower stems off to prolong the life of your plant.
Follow these steps and your plant will flourish:
Polka Dot plants require bright, indirect light to maintain their colour. If kept in too little light then growth will be leggy and weak, and their colours will fade.
In Summer, while growing, keep the soil moist, but not water-logged. The best way to achieve this is to water the plant well, but then allow the top of the soil to become dry before watering again. A happy plant can grow quite quickly, so regular pruning will encourage a more attractive, bushier plant. Simply pinch the plant back on a weekly basis.
In Winter your plant will adapt to cooler temperatures, and reduced light levels. Growth stops so it requires less water and no fertiliser.
Water moderately but make sure to wait until the top 2-3cm of the soil becomes dry, don`t be tempted to water again until this happens, even if it seems a long time since last watered.
