Hypoestes Splash plants, also known as “Polka Dot Plant,” this adorable plant grows well inside to add a cheerful splash of color with its uniquely patterned leaves. It is a lively, colorful and beautiful little plant with brightly spotted leaves that stand out especially well against other plants and is a whimsical addition to your house plants.
With leaves vividly spotted and dotted with freckles, and splotches (also known as Freckle Face), Gratitude Seeds™ gift plant kits come with white, pink and red plant seeds that which will have green leaves. Splash plants exhibits more color contrast than other hypoestes.
Hypoestes Mix
Height: 10-18″ (25-46cm), 12-14″ (30-36cm) spread
Germination temperature: 70 F to 75 F
Days to emergence: 14
Maintenance and care
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. Since they prefers high humidity and warm weather, placement in a kitchen or bathroom window works great.
Pinch back the plants regularly to maintain a bushy growth habit. Fertilize plants grown in containers once a month. After flowering, the plant will likely become dormant or die outright.
Growing Conditions
Bloom time: mid-summer. If starting the plant seed kit in Fall and Winter you can expect the seeds to sprout and have slow growth until spring when there is more than twelve hours of sunlight a day and the days are warmer.
Light: Bright light is best. Plants grown in poor light conditions are likely to have solid green leaves, which defeats the purpose of this neat little plant. If your plant isn’t colorful enough, consider some direct sunlight, which should deepen the colors.
Water: Keep the soil moist in the summer growing season and reduce in the winter. If your plant flowers and then goes into a dormant phase, reduce water significantly, resuming regular watering only after the new growth emerges.
Fertilizer: During the growing season, feed weekly with a weak liquid fertilizer that includes micronutrients and encourages blooming.
Soil: A light, fast-draining potting soil is perfect. You can use fortified soils.
Propagation
Polka dot plants can be grown either from seed or cuttings. Cuttings can be taken at any time, but root best in the spring and summer.
Repotting
Repot when they become root bound. In reality, most hypoestes will not live much beyond a year or two before they flower, and many people don’t bother to keep the plants after they’ve bloomed and slipped into their dormant phase. If the plant stops growing in mid-summer, it’s probably root bound, so you can go ahead and repot.
Growing Tips
Splash plants appreciate occasional misting to raise the ambient humidity and you should pinch off shoots that reach 15″ inches or so. This will encourage bushiness and keep the plant in a more manageable form. Left unpruned, the plant will grow into a small, loose shrub of about two feet. When it does flower, the flowers are insignificant lavender blooms that are produced from spikes. Pinch these off to prolong the plant’s vitality, and flowering often seems to mark the beginning of the end for these plants.