Polka Dot Plant - How to Grow Hypoestes

Polka dot plants are a colorful, low-maintenance addition to your houseplant collection or garden. With bright splashes of pink, white, or red speckles on oval green leaves, these plants have personality! Their pretty foliage is a refreshing contrast to other plants with solid green leaves.

Native to Madagascar, South Africa, and southeastern Asia, polka dot plants (Hypoestes phyllostachya) thrive in shady areas outdoors in mixed containers, window boxes, and edging along sidewalks or at the front of borders in the landscape. They look especially smashing when grown in masses or alongside other shade-lovers such as coleus or caladium.

While polka dot plants are grown mostly as a garden annual, they are perennial in USDA Hardiness zones 10 and 11. (Find your zone here.)

Related: What's the Big Difference Between Annual vs Perennial Plants?

Indoors, polka dot plants are easy-to-care-for under the right conditions. These plants remain small as indoor plants, typically reaching about 6 to 9 inches tall with a mounded habit. Because they love humidity, polka dot plants make good choices for terrariums.

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Polka Dot Plant Basic Info:

Common Name: Polka dot plant
Botanical Name: Hypoestes phyllostachya
Plant Family: Acanthaceae
Type of Plant: Annual, perennial in warm climates
Native Origin: Madagascar, South Africa, and southeast Asia
Sun Exposure: Part sun (3 to 6 hours per day)
Mature Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide
Toxic to pets: No