Description
Hypoestes high-PESS-teez
The polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) is an eye-catching little plant with brightly variegated leaves that stand out against most other foliage. The most common polka dot plants feature leaves with a pink base color and green spots. But there are several spotted or mottled varieties with purple, white, red and deeper colors and brighter contrast, so the plants pop even more. These plants are not especially difficult to grow, but because they are native to warm climates, many gardeners treat them as annuals and replace them with new plants each year. They’re best planted in the spring. They also can be grown in containers as houseplants. They have a moderate growth rate and remain relatively small once mature, especially when grown indoors.
