Syngonium podophyllum, or the arrowhead plant, is also called arrowhead vine and American evergreen. Whereas it may be invasive and fast-spreading outdoor, it’s a ravishing and easygoing houseplant that may make an excellent addition to your assortment!
This vining plant is native to the tropics of Central and South America and is available in a number of completely different colours comparable to darkish inexperienced, mild inexperienced, and even pink and crimson! Most varieties are variegated with two or extra colours. The younger plant begins off as little sprouts with smaller leaves, however the plant will vine and even climb because it will get older. (However you’ll be able to simply trim it again to maintain it bushy, for those who like.)
The leaves of the younger plant are arrow-shaped, which is the place the plant will get its nickname, however because the plant grows, the newer leaves will probably be lobed with 3-5 sections.
General, this plant is beautiful, simple to take care of, and might add a pleasant pop of coloration and foliage to your house whether or not you develop it as a small bush, a dangling plant, or on a trellis.
Arrowhead Plant Care Information
Arrowhead plant care is fairly simple, which makes it a straightforward plant for newcomers!
Watering
Let the highest half to two-thirds of your arrowhead plant’s soil dry out between waterings. You possibly can check this by poking your finger within the soil to see if it’s dry to the contact or through the use of a moisture meter. (When your meter reads 2-3, it’s time to water your arrowhead plant!)
We extremely suggest utilizing a moisture meter as a result of it can provide you a significantly better concept of what’s occurring deep contained in the pot than the finger check. In any case, relying on how well-aerated your soil is, it’s completely doable for the highest half of the soil to be utterly dry whereas the basis ball remains to be moist!
(We like this meter as a result of it additionally measures mild ranges and soil pH.)
Plan on watering your arrowhead plant each 10-14 days. You’ll in all probability discover that the soil will dry out sooner within the hotter months and slower within the cooler ones.
As soon as you identify it’s time to water, slowly add water to the highest of the soil till it begins to expire the underside of the pot. Empty the drainage tray instantly or place the pot within the sink or tub to present it time to empty.
Soil and Potting
Plant your arrowhead plant in a lightweight, fast-draining soil like cactus combine with some further perlite or vermiculite thrown in. (This may assist maintain it aerated and promote good drainage.)
Your pot ought to have drainage holes so the roots received’t keep moist for too lengthy. That is essential for maintaining your arrowhead plant wholesome! You possibly can develop an arrowhead plant as a tabletop or shelf plant, in a dangling basket, and even prepare it to climb a trellis or different houseplant assist.
We don’t suggest letting your arrowhead plant climb your partitions or furnishings, although, as they’ll strip paint and wreck surfaces!
Mild Necessities
This plant thrives in medium to vibrant mild. It’s pretty forgiving, so for those who don’t have the right lighting circumstances, it’s going to in all probability keep wholesome sufficient, although it might not develop as shortly. (Which isn’t essentially a nasty factor.)
For those who can, present loads of vibrant, oblique daylight from an east-facing window or filtered mild from a south- or west-facing window. Even a north-facing window or putting it a bit deeper in a room with a window can work!
Simply make sure you maintain your plant out of direct daylight, as a result of full solar can scorch the fragile leaves. It’s additionally essential to understand that brightly coloured or variegated arrowhead vegetation will want brighter mild as a way to keep their coloring.
If you would like a brightly coloured plant, be certain it has a first-rate window spot or a develop mild to supply sufficient mild.
Temperature & Humidity
This can be a tropical plant, so be certain to keep up pretty tropical circumstances to maintain your arrowhead plant pleased!
Preserve temperatures between 60 and 80 levels Fahrenheit, and humidity at no less than 40%. Your plant may do nicely in a vibrant, steamy lavatory, or you’ll be able to place the pot on a pebble tray. (You’ll find these at backyard facilities or make your individual with a shallow tray, water, and pebbles. Simple!) Inserting your arrowhead plant close to different vegetation may also improve ambient humidity by means of respiration. Humidifiers and misting are additionally good choices for rising humidity round your houseplants.
Be sure you maintain your plant nicely away from drafts, heating and air-conditioning vents, heaters, and fireplaces—these can freeze or scorch your plant’s leaves, or no less than dry them out. Not good!
Fertilizer
Fertilize your arrowhead plant no less than as soon as per 30 days from early spring to mid-fall. In case your plant appears to develop in matches and begins year-round as a substitute of throughout a particular season, you’ll be able to maintain fertilizing year-round.
Use a delicate, balanced liquid fertilizer, and make sure you observe the instructions on the bottle. Err on the sunshine aspect for those who aren’t positive how a lot or how typically to feed your plant.
We extremely suggest Indoor Plant Meals as a result of it’s mild sufficient to make use of with each watering, so that you received’t have to recollect a schedule. It takes all of the guesswork out of fertilizing! It’s additionally nice for many houseplants, so you’ll be able to merely add some to your watering can while you water all of your vegetation. (Simply don’t apply it to succulents.) It’s the simplest solution to maintain your vegetation nourished!
You should purchase Indoor Plant Meals on Amazon.
Pruning
Pruning your arrowhead plant is a crucial a part of maintaining it wholesome and controlling its dimension. Make certain to take away any dried-out or broken leaves so the plant can put extra power into wholesome new development.
That is additionally nice for shaping your plant. For those who want a bushier plant to a vining one, merely reduce off the vining sections as they develop. This will even stop the plant from creating the lobed leaves and as a substitute continue to grow arrowhead-shaped leaves. The arrowhead plant can keep bushy and attain a top of about 15 inches earlier than it begins to climb or cascade out of its pot.
The arrowhead plant’s sap will be irritating if it will get in your pores and skin, so we recommend carrying gloves while you prune. Make certain to make use of clear, sterilized instruments as nicely to forestall spreading micro organism or fungus across the plant. A pointy knife or shears are additionally a good suggestion so you will get a clear reduce as a substitute of crushing the stems.
Toxicity
This plant is poisonous to pets and people and can trigger irritation to the mouth, throat, and abdomen if ingested. Preserve your arrowhead plant away from pets and youngsters or select a unique plant altogether.
Arrowhead Plant Propagation
The arrowhead plant is simple to propagate with separation or cuttings!
To separate, merely unpot the plant and therapeutic massage the basis ball to get as a lot of the filth out as doable. Then gently untangle the roots to separate the plant into two or extra smaller vegetation. You may as well use a pointy, clear knife to chop the basis ball aside if needed. Pot every new plant into its personal pot (be certain the pot has drainage holes!) and also you’re good to go! Keep away from fertilizing for about two months after separation to keep away from burning the roots.
To propagate with cuttings, discover a wholesome part of vine that has some younger development and no less than one node. This may seem like a bit brown bump on the vine or stem reverse from a leaf. Use sharp shears or a knife to chop under the node in order that the node is included within the reducing. (Once more, it’s finest to put on gloves for this.)
Place your reducing in a transparent glass container full of unpolluted water, ensuring the reduce part is submerged however the leaves aren’t touching the water. You may as well combine a bit Propagation Promoter into the water or dip the reduce finish in rooting hormone to encourage root development. Put the container in a vibrant place. Inside just a few weeks, it’s best to see new roots starting to kind. As soon as these child roots are no less than an inch lengthy, you’ll be able to plant the reducing in soil and deal with it like a mature plant.
You probably have hassle maintaining your cuttings upright of their container or medium, it’s best to attempt these easy-to-use node maintainers! This useful propagation software is an easy solution to maintain root cuttings wholesome and in place whereas they take root, which provides these roots extra room to develop with out the added strain of supporting the plant’s weight. This plant node assist additionally helps your cuttings root sooner!
For those who’re pruning your plant to manage its dimension and form, this can be a wonderful means to make use of these cuttings! You can also make extra child arrowhead vegetation to broaden your assortment or give away as presents to your planty associates!
Arrowhead Plant Issues
Whereas arrowhead vegetation are fairly hardy and straightforward to take care of, they’ll sometimes develop well being issues. View these points as alerts out of your plant that one thing’s not proper.
Arrowhead Plant Leaves Turning Yellow
Yellowing leaves is likely one of the commonest points you may see in your arrowhead plant, and it may possibly have plenty of completely different causes.
Watering points are the commonest perpetrator; each over- and underwatering may cause yellowing. To find out which it may be, test the soil together with your finger or a moisture meter. If the soil remains to be moist per week after you watered, your plant may be overwatered. That is in all probability a problem with drainage and probably inadequate mild reasonably than truly watering your plant an excessive amount of.
If the soil is bone-dry, your plant may want a drink!
Additionally, the location of the yellow leaves issues. If the yellow leaves appear to be concentrated across the base of the plant and on older leaves, overwatering is a extra probably drawback. If leaves are yellowing all around the plant and even curling or creating crispy brown spots, your plant might be thirsty.
The opposite commonest explanation for yellowing leaves is nutrient deficiency. In case your plant is getting sufficient mild and doesn’t appear to be over- or underwatered, take into consideration the final time you fertilized or repotted. If it’s been some time, your plant may want vitamins!
Arrowhead Leaves Curling
Your plant’s leaves might curl if the plant is underwatered or if humidity is simply too low. First test the soil. If it’s bone-dry, water your plant! If the soil appears to be okay, attempt rising humidity. Mist your plant every day, transfer it to a steamy lavatory, place it subsequent to different vegetation, or arrange a humidity tray or humidifier.
And, after all, be certain the plant isn’t close to any vents that may be drying out the leaves with blasts of dry air!
Arrowhead Leaves Turning Brown
Like yellowing, browning leaves can have many causes. However you should utilize the method of elimination and look carefully on the spots themselves to find out the trigger.
If the spots are darkish brown, comfortable, and/or accompanied by comfortable or squishy stems, your plant might be severely overwatered and should have already developed root rot. If that is so, act quick, as a result of root rot can shortly kill your plant!
Unpot the plant and get as a lot of the previous soil out of the roots as doable. Trim any mushy, smelly, or darkish roots. Repot the plant in contemporary soil and a clear pot and place it in a vibrant place. Go simple on the watering for some time, however while you do water, use our Root Complement to assist the roots heal. Keep away from fertilizing for a month after remedy.
If the brown spots are mild brown and crispy, your plant may be too dry. If the soil is dry, give the plant , thorough watering and take away the useless leaves.
Sorts of Arrowhead Crops
Arrowhead vegetation are available in many alternative, stunning varieties. Listed here are a few of our favorites so as to add to your indoor jungle!
Pink Arrowhead
The younger leaves of this pretty selection begin out mild inexperienced, however because the plant matures, it’s going to begin producing dusky pink leaves. This selection additionally goes by the names Strawberry Cream, Pink Allusion, Neon Robusta, Berry Allusion, and extra. Look after this selection is nearly the identical as that for a inexperienced arrowhead plant, however it might want a bit extra mild to keep up its attribute rosy coloration.
White Butterfly Arrowhead
This beautiful, easy-to-find selection sports activities heart-shaped leaves which are principally mild inexperienced, cream, or silvery, with dark-green edges. Because the plant will get older, new leaves emerge with a extra butterfly-like form earlier than changing into lobed because the plant continues to mature.
Emerald Gem Arrowhead
This stunning, extremely variegated selection is thought for its massive, deep-green and cream leaves. This selection may require extra mild to keep up its dramatic variegation than another cultivars, however it’s going to reward you with probably the most gorgeous marbled foliage. In any other case, its care necessities are largely the identical as any arrowhead plant selection.
Pixie Arrowhead Plant
This selection boasts leaves with comparable inexperienced and silver coloring to the white butterfly selection, however this plant is far more compact with smaller leaves. Look after this mini-arrowhead plant as you’d some other inexperienced selection.
Maria Allusion
This gorgeous selection comes with the attribute arrow-shaped leaves which are principally deep inexperienced, however with putting coppery-red veining. Maria Allusion is bound to face out in any house with its ruffled leaves and strange coloring!
Trileaf Wonder
In contrast to different arrowhead plant varieties which are recognized for his or her arrow- or heart-shaped leaves, this selection grows lengthy, slim, lance-shaped leaves which are emerald inexperienced with silvery, light-green veining. Attempt including this funky form to your plant assortment for some variation!
Give Arrowheads a Attempt!
Arrowhead vegetation are stunning, simple to take care of, and are available in so many alternative, colourful varieties. For those who’re new to caring for vegetation, this can be a pretty simple one to begin with, and it’ll reward you with plenty of stunning leaves that can add a pop of life and coloration to your house!