Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)

General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit:	Herb/Forb Shrub
Life cycle:	Perennial
Sun Requirements:	Partial or Dappled Shade
Water Preferences:	Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness:	Zone 9a -6.7 °C (20 °F) to -3.9 °C (25 °F)
Plant Height:	8 to 30 inches (20-50 cm)
Plant Spread:	9 to 24 inches (23-30 cm)
Leaves:	Unusual foliage color Evergreen Variegated Other: Not evergreen where there is frost.
Flowers:	Inconspicuous
Flower Color:	Purple
Bloom Size:	Under 1"
Flower Time:	Summer Late summer or early fall Fall
Suitable Locations:	Houseplant
Uses:	Suitable as Annual
Wildlife Attractant:	Bees Butterflies
Resistances:	Humidity tolerant
Propagation: Seeds:	Provide light Days to germinate: 7-14 at 65°F Depth to plant seed: Do not cover, press into the soil Start indoors Can handle transplanting Other info: Start indoors 4-6 weeks before last frost. Covering with plastic wrap to hold in heat and moisture may aid germination.
Propagation: Other methods:	Cuttings: Stem
Containers:	Suitable in 1 gallon Suitable in 3 gallon or larger Needs excellent drainage in pots

Common names

Polka Dot Plant
Freckle Face

Botanical names

Accepted: Hypoestes phyllostachya
Synonym: Hypoestes sanguinolenta

Photo Gallery

Location: BG Praque
Date: 2015-05-05
Hypoestes phyllostachya - BG Praag

Uploaded by RuuddeBlock

Date: 2021-01-07
New growth full of trichomes.

Uploaded by antsinmypants

Location: Zone 9b Florida
Date: 2022-06-05
Tiny flower

Uploaded by MySecretIslandGarden

Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2021-04-21

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Lake Macquarie, N.S.W., Australia
Date: 2013-12-20

Uploaded by carolem

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2015-07-11

Uploaded by gingin

Uploaded by vic

Location: In home, San Francisco
Date: 2024-02-24

Uploaded by chelseanolse

Uploaded by carolem

Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2021-06-22

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by Joy

Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2019-04-26
'Hippo White'

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2021-10-30

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by dryad

Uploaded by TomatoNut95

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: Jacksonville, Fl.
Date: 2014-05-25

Uploaded by terrafirma

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Daytona Beach, Florida
Date: 2011-04-10

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: My patio, Archer, FL
Date: 2019-05-28

Uploaded by carlissa904

Location: Riverside, CA
Date: 2015-12-22

Uploaded by JulieB

Uploaded by Huertayjardineria

Uploaded by Leafa

Location: Opp, AL
Date: 2015-10-02
Change in growth in preparation to bloom.

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: Our apartment
Date: 2017-09-23
Closeup of the variegation on the leaves of my $2 plant bought fr

Uploaded by Hagbard

Uploaded by Paul2032

Uploaded by gingin

Location: Arbor Gate Nursery, Tomball, TX
Date: 2013-10-05

Uploaded by jon

Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2016-10-22

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by bendee31

Uploaded by sedumzz

Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2021-08-05

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Opp, AL Z8b
Date: 2018-03-02
If you live where this is deciduous/seasonal, leaving the old ste

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Uploaded by Leafa

Location: Our apartment
Date: 2017-09-23
Some bloke on a streetcorner in Harlem sold this to me for 2 buck

Uploaded by Hagbard

Location: Port Orange, Florida
Date: 2018-01-20

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: Banff Canada | August 2022
Date: 2022-08-06

Uploaded by sedumzz

Uploaded by angelo86

Uploaded by moth

Uploaded by purpleinopp

Location: Copenhagen Botanical Garden, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Uploaded by robertduval14

Location: My garden WG left of Mexican oleander
Date: 2019-03-30

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: Sebastian, Florida
Date: 2018-02-13

Uploaded by plantladylin

Uploaded by carlissa904

Uploaded by Sunlover

Location: My garden, Willow Valley Communities, Lakes Campus, Willow Street, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2019-07-04

Uploaded by csandt

Uploaded by Akajou

Location: New York City Area
Date: 2019-07-05

Uploaded by Araceae

Uploaded by plantladylin

Location: central Illinois
Date: 10-10-06

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: central Illinois
Date: summer 2006
used as a cover crop or mulch in large container

Uploaded by jmorth

Location: my garden front bed
Date: 2017-06-22

Uploaded by piksihk

Location: indoors
Date: 2013-11-22
orchid-like bloom

Uploaded by pa2nc

This plant is tagged in:

Comments:

Posted by plantladylin (Sebastian, Florida - Zone 10a) on Feb 17, 2018 10:41 AM concerning plant:

I've grown the Polka Dot Plant many times over the years, as indoor houseplants (including planted in terrariums), as well as annual bedding plants in shady spots in the garden.

Hypoestes prefer bright, indirect light, but no direct sun, which will scorch the foliage, and well-draining soil is extremely important. Plants should be pinched back to maintain an attractive, uniform and bushy shape. I've read that Polka Dot Plants can grow to 24 inches in height, but mine have only attained heights of about 8 to 10 inches at most. Some may prefer to remove the flowers, but even though the blooms are rather inconspicuous, I still think they are pretty, so I allow them to bloom.

Reply to this comment

Plant Events from our members
piksihk	On September 1, 2020	Obtained plant Lowe's clearance $1
piksihk	On September 1, 2020	Obtained plant Lowe's clearance $1
piksihk	On September 1, 2020	Obtained plant Lowe's clearance $1
piksihk	On February 28, 2019	Plant emerged One at WG and HW; they survived winter
piksihk	On September 19, 2017	Miscellaneous Event 4 cuttings rooted
carolem	On December 30, 2017	Potted up divided and re-planted into a hanging basket; foliar fed with Seasol (liquid sea-weed)
carlissa904	On May 28, 2019	Obtained plant bought 2 plants at Publix, 1 white and 1 pink.
gladyscallagy	On January 29, 2021	Seeds germinated
MySecretIslandGarden	On June 5, 2022	Bloomed The flowers are tiny, so tiny some have already bloomed and died off before I noticed it

» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant

Thread Title	Last Reply	Replies
This is Hypoestes (polka dot plant) by purpleinopp	Aug 13, 2017 11:18 AM	1
a shame, considered an environmental weed in some states of Australia by carolem	Dec 22, 2017 4:24 PM	5

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Hypoestes Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)

Hypoestes
Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)