How to Take Care of an Arrowhead Plant

How to Take Care of an Arrowhead Plant

The Arrowhead plant, also known as Syngonium Podophyllum and Nephthytis, is a classic houseplant for any home to have. The arrow shape and green/dark green foliage are similar to the look of a Peace Lilly plant. Like the Peace Lilly plant, it’s relatively easy to grow.

 

So how do you take care of this plant when you bring it home? To care for this houseplant, you need to know the amount of water, sunlight, bugs to watch out for, and more to keep the arrowhead plant healthy. Keep reading below for tips and tricks on keeping this plant fit and in good shape.

 

Can an Arrowhead Plant Be Used as a Houseplant?

Can an Arrowhead Plant Be Used as a Houseplant

Even though the Arrowhead plant is native to the warm Amazon rainforests of South America, you can grow this houseplant year-round. However, you will need to make sure that you grow this plant in the proper conditions to work as a houseplant. Choosing the right kind of soil/potting mix and fertilizer is key to keeping the plant from contracting any diseases.

 

To survive as a potted plant, you must moist the potting soil to grow this houseplant. For the type of fertilizer for this plant, make sure that you use any houseplant fertilizer that has a good balance. Good balance means a fertilizer that is partly moist but also partially dry. Also, repot the plant once every year to avoid the roots getting stuck in the soil or rootbound.

 

Finally, be cautious about having animals and or babies get too close to this plant. The caution is due to the toxicity that the plant’s sap has towards animals of any kind. However, it’s non-lethal to humans but causes skin irritation and the feeling of your mouth being on fire if you eat the leaves.

 

Bugs to Watch out For

Bugs and insects can affect the plant in many different ways. Some bugs that affect arrowhead plants are aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs. To get rid of them, you should pick them off of the plant, take the plant outside and use a gardening hose to spray them off, or use a soft cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol to get rid of these bugs.

 

How Much Sun Does the Arrowhead Plant Need?

An arrowhead plant needs to have enough sun so it can continue growing. Too much sunlight could lead to the plant’s growth stopping or the plant becoming too dry. For this reason, indirect lights work best for this plant.

 

You will want to make sure that it is not an area with low light. For this indoor plant, make sure that you put it in half-bright sunlight and half shade. A good area of the house to place this plant is a north-facing window.

 

How Much Water Does the Arrowhead Plant Require?

It’s best to keep the top half-inch of soil moist for this plant. You can use your fingers to judge if the soil is dry or not before watering it. The number of times you should water the Arrowhead plant is once a week.

 

Also, you should water the plant with drainage holes underneath the pot to help remove excess water. Another tip is to reduce how often you water the plant in the winter months. Plants have slower growth in the winter, which is why they don’t need as much water.

 

Finally, over-watering the plant can result in root rot. To ensure this doesn’t happen, you will need to space out your watering to reduce water build-up on the pant. Having a pot with drainage holes can help reduce the risk of root rot.

 

What Humidity Level Works Best?

It is also important to note the humid conditions that should exist for the plant to survive. The ideal temperature for the plant to thrive and grow is sixty to eighty degrees Fahrenheit. If the plant is in a dry room, you can place it on a pebble tray to increase the humidity. The humidity will increase due to the water evaporation on the rocks, which helps this plant.

 

How Do You Keep an Arrowhead Plant Bushy?

How Do You Keep an Arrowhead Plant Bushy

Keeping an Arrowhead plant bushy requires support from the plant itself and pruning. Since the arrowhead plant grows so large, it requires assistance to keep the plant upright. If it starts to droop, you can use some supports, such as a moss stick or a wooden pole.

 

To use a wooden pole for support, you would tie the plant using zip ties. As for the moss stick, you would want to guide the plant in its ability to grow onto the stick.

 

The other way to keep the plant bushy is by pruning the leaves of the plant. When you prune the leaves, you should eliminate any yellow leaves on the plant. Finally, you should prune four to five leaves and the stems at least 2 to 3 times a year.

 

Do Arrowhead Plants Like Coffee Grounds?

Coffee grounds can provide precious nutrients to help keep an Arrowhead Plant healthy. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are all elements that the plant craves to stay healthy. You can also use an all-purpose potting mix outside of coffee grounds for this plant.

 

Conclusion – How to Take Care of an Arrowhead Plant

In summary, an Arrowhead Plant is one of the most classic plants to have in your home. The plant doesn’t require too much maintenance to keep healthy, but it is still essential to know some tips and tricks no matter what. Be sure to visit this guide often as a cheat sheet to understand how to properly take care of this plant when you bring your next Arrowhead Plant home!

 

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