Syngonium Plants

Description

• The arrowhead vine has slender green stems and 6- to 12-inch long variegated foliage in shades of green, silver and white. When allowed to vine and cascade, it reaches up to 15 feet long. As a ground cover, the plant grows about 6 inches tall and eventually fills in a planting bed.

Growing Requirements

• Arrowhead vines are sensitive to excessive light, which causes pale, limp leaves and scorch marks. Place indoor-grown Syngonium podophyllum in medium to low light, such as in front of an eastern or northern window; plant outdoor-grown arrowhead vines in light to deep shade.

  Grown best in a rich, well-draining soil high in organic matter, plant indoor-grown arrowhead vines in a soil mix containing 2 parts peat moss, 1 part sand or perlite and 2 parts loam. Outdoors, amend the soil before planting, with a 2-inch layer of compost. Feed this plant spring through fall every two weeks with a well-balanced fertilizer, and monthly during winter. Water arrowhead vines when the soil surface is dry to the touch.

Pests

• Arrowhead vines fall victim to a variety of pests, including spider mites, scale and mealybugs. Treat mealybugs with cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol, and then rinse the pests from the plant. Eradicate scale by removing them by hand and spraying the plant with fine horticultural oil. Control spider mites by pruning out infested leaves, rinsing the plant with water and raising the humidity level around the plant. Mites respond poorly to moist conditions, even for a short period of time. Temporarily raise humidity around the arrowhead vine by encasing it in a clear-plastic bag for three days, during which time the moist air will destroy the mites.

Warnings

• The plant sap in arrowhead-vine foliage contains oxalate crystals that irritate skin and are toxic when consumed. Keep arrowhead plants away from children and pets.

  The arrowhead vine is also considered a Category I invasive species by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council, which means that the plant has displaced and disrupted native plant species, damaging ecological systems. Gardeners in certain areas of Florida are strongly encouraged to refrain from planting Syngonium podophyllum in the garden.