I am enamored with the arrowhead plant or Syngonium podophyllum. I think I have 5 different ones in my collection and I’m thinking about putting them all in one planter. The amazing and surprising thing about this plant is most people have no idea that it becomes a houseplant vine.

Syngoniums are beautiful plants with many different varieties

An unfurling syngonium leaf

Houseplant vine

I knew this plant became a vine, but it really became apparent when I visited a garden in Florida and one was climbing a tree. I had no idea they could grow that tall!

This syngonium was climbing a tree in a Florida garden

Care

Syngoniums are easy to grow as long as you keep them evenly moist. Use a well-drained potting medium and give them a medium to bright light. They would rather not be exposed to full sun, so no south windows. If they are allowed to dry out they do bounce back quite well but there will be consequences which usually consist of a few brown, dry leaves. Unless you let it dry out completely, and at that point, it might be death for your plant. I have seen it happen…..

Love the pink foliage

Humidity

Because of their thin leaves, syngoniums would like the humidity around them to be elevated. This can be accomplished with a humidifier or a pebble tray, like the one below. Add pebbles to a saucer larger than the one your plant is on and fill it with water. Keep adding water to the pebbles as it evaporates. Many will reach for the mister, but misting your plants really doesn’t do a whole lot for your plants. If it is something you like to do though, go for it.

Pebble tray under a plant to raise the humidity

What happens if you have low humidity?

Spider mites LOVE dry plants and dry air around the plants. (This is an extreme case)

Spider mites happen

If a plant is kept overly dry or the air around the plant is dry, I don’t know how, but spider mites appear and they have voracious appetites. The plant above isn’t a syngonium, but it does have a bad case of spider mites. How do you get rid of them? First, don’t get them. Keep the humidity up. And do not, as I have done, let them get this bad. I thought it would make for a good example…. poor plant. Wipe them all off as best as you can and spray with a miticide such as neem oil. Because they aren’t insects, do not use an insecticide. It won’t work and may in fact make them worse. (A product with imidacloprid as the active insecticide, will make the spider mite population explode.)

Syngonium from a dish garden arrangement that has been replanted

Brown leaf tips and edges

Another consequence of dry air may also present itself as brown tips and edges on the leaves. If that happens, remember to raise the humidity and trim the edges of the leaves in the shape they would naturally be.

Add support

When my plants get a bit larger, I think I will add a moss pole so they can climb like they would in their natural habitat. The moisture of the moss pole will help with the humidity, as well.

Here is a moss pole in the clay pot

Green syngonium

Did you know a syngonium is a houseplant vine?

Have a great week!