Polka Dot (Freckle Face) Plant Care

Common Name: Polka Dot Plant, Freckle Face
Scientific Name: Hypoestes phyllostachya
Lighting: Moderate to Low
Watering: Moderate

Polka Dot plants are really neat little houseplants. Their red, pink and white dotted foliage add character to any space. Plus they are a small, delicate looking houseplant. Polka Dot (Freckle Face) plants can also be placed in your outside garden as an annual. The distinct colors make a great contrast next to other outdoor plants.

The Polka Dot plant requires moderate light. Keeping the plant within 2 feet of a window is perfect as long as it doesn't receive much more than 5 hours of direct sunlight. Correct lighting will help keep the plant maintaining its spots.

For this houseplant, you should keep the soil moist at all times, however do not over water the plants so that the soil becomes soggy. Make sure you do not allow the soil to dry out in-between watering. If the foliage begins to wilt, you are probably under watering the plant. After watering, the houseplant will usually spark back up, similar to what a Peace Lily will do, however do not make a practice of waiting until it starts to drop before watering. If you continually under water the plant, overtime it will drop the lower leaves and continue dropping. This houseplant also prefers higher humidity levels, so a daily misting will provide additional results.

Polka Dot plants are very easy to start from seed. You can then move them to their own pots. You can also easily take cuttings from the plant. Put them in water to root and now you have even more Polka Dot plants. Giving your Polka Dot plant a little haircut as I call them, will not harm the plant, it will actually help it to retain its compact shape and become more full and lush.

As a little extra tip, if your pinch out the new growth, most of the time this will also encourage the plant to be more compact and full.