Complete Care Guide: Syngonium
Complete Care Guide: Syngonium
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In this article, you'll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Picture!
Plant Info
The Syngonium -- often mis-labeled as a Nephthytis, which is a related but distinct genus -- is a wonderful and peculiar little houseplant. You'll almost definitely buy the juvenile form, which has a bushy growth habit, with many stems arising from the ground, each with a triangular (or at least three-lobed) leaf on top -- giving the plant one of its common names, the Arrowhead plant.
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Common Name(s) |
Nephthytis (wrongly), Arrowhead plant, Syngonium |
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Botanical Name |
Syngonium podophyllum (usually) |
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Botanical Family |
Araceae |
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Mature Size |
Long vines; can grow quite large |
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Lighting |
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Watering |
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Humidity |
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Soil Mix |
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Flowers |
Small/insignificant |
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Hardiness |
Tropical; keep above 10F/50C |
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Native Region |
Central America, from Mexico to Bolivia |
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Toxicity |
Mildly toxic to pets and people alike! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
As your syngonium matures, first the leaf shape may change, often elongating; the leaves' two back lobes may sweep back past the point where it meets the stem. Then, eventually, it will change its growth habit completely, becoming a long vine instead! People often cut them back at this point to keep the juvenile form, since it's often considered more aesthetically pleasing.
There are a ton of different syngonium species and cultivars; this advice will be fairly general about the genus as a whole, since the care doesn't vary too much between them! Just remember: less green on the leaves means more light is needed!
Lighting
Syngoniums in general are pretty happy in any lighting condition, especially if they're mostly green; remember that (as with all plants) the less green on the leaves, the more light is needed. So pink syngoniums will survive in low lighting situations, but they won't do well -- whereas green syngoniums will be okay with low light, though they prefer bright.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Syngoniums can dry out some, but they generally prefer to be kept consistently moist. They can still be overwatered, though, so make sure that the substrate is moist, and not waterlogged. When in doubt, let the substrate dry out a little between waterings.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Syngoniums are from the tropical rainforest and definitely prefer higher humidity, but they adapt very well to average household humidity!
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Syngoniums in the wild climb over trees, clinging by their roots -- so they're used to having well-aerated, chunky, and well-draining soil.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don't know why you're adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There are tons of different cultivars of Syngonium podophyllum, as well as other species and hybrids, that you can find in cultivation. Two of the most common are often simply called "green syngonium" and "pink syngonium", but are more accurately "White Butterfly" and "Neon Robusta". Others include Mango Allusion, Confetti, Milk Confetti, Tri-Point, and a whole host of others! Cultivars vary based on leaf shape, variegation, and colour -- ranging from pinks, to creams, to oranges and yellows in some cultivars.
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants! This, of course, works best when your syngonium has matured!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you'll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issue with syngoniums is, as with all houseplants, overwatering.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. Syngoniums seem to be a little more susceptible to spider mites than most, so keep an eye out for webbing between those leaves!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there rare syngoniums?
Extremely, and many varieties! Syngonium Milk Confetti is one that's taken off in the plant influencer world, and is slowly becoming less rare.
Are syngoniums good terrarium plants?
Yes and no. They make good terrarium plants while young, but will eventually outgrow most terrariums.