Polka Dot Plant, or Hypoestes phyllostachya, is an immediate blast of cheer. Lime green leaves peppered with speckles of pinks, whites and reds mound together in a delightful clump of foliage. They’re especially attractive when planted in a pot with other patterned foliage like calathea for a dazzling array of shapes and colors!

Native to Madagascar, this species appreciates filtered light, but beware of losing color in the leaves if the lighting is too low since their variegated leaves are really what makes this houseplant special! If you are someone who uses grow lights, this is a plant that responds quite favorably to artificial light. Keep it moist their leaves will droop quite quickly when they need water. Use potting soil with high water retention and organic material. Always remember to plant it in a pot with drainage or use the cache-pot method. This just means to keep it in its black plastic nursery pot and set it inside a ceramic pot. The water will drain out of the plastic pot and into the ceramic one.

While in their native habitat, hypoestes can grow over 2ft tall, as a houseplant here in central Oregon, they rarely surpass 8 inches. Because they stay so compact and love humidity, they are fantastic options for terrariums. They also make perfect little gifts when potted into cute ceramic planters!