Syngonium White Butterfly Care Guide
Family: Araceae
Genus: Syngonium
Botanical Name: Syngonium podophyllum
Difficulty: Beginner-friendly
If you’re looking for the variegated look but don’t want to deal with the dramatic tendancies of variegated plants, you need a SyngoniumWhite Butterfly! These low-light tolerant beauties don’t ask for much. They don’t appreciate direct sunlight, cold temperatures, or over watering. Keep reading to learn more about what your Syngonium needs from you!
Light
Like most houseplants, Syngoniums do not do well with the suns rays beaming down on them. They will be much happier across the room from a window that receives direct light than being right in front of it. Your goal is to provide them with a moderate amount of sunlight without keeping them in the shade. If you can picture a room that is well-lit and bright for the most part, this is where your Syngonium will thrive!
Water
You should care for your Sygonium as you would a Monstera when it comes to watering. They’ll appreciate if you let the top half of the soil dry before watering because they don’t like wet feet! After testing the soil with your method of choice (finger test or moisture stick) you should water your Syngonium thoroughly by waiting for water to come pouring from the drainage holes. By doing this, you’re ensuring that water is reaching all of the roots. Once water has stopped seeping through the drainage holes, check to make sure that all of the soil is wet. It’s very easy to assume that water is reaching the entire root system. If you went a little too long between watering, your plant may need more water than you think. If the soil isn’t wet all the way through after watering, give them a little water just to be safe!
Climate
Sygoniums love warm temperatures and added humidity. They’ll do just fine in your average household conditions as long as the temperatures are consistently in the 60°-80°F range. While they’re okay with regular humidity levels, you can go the extra mile and place them next to a humidifier to really make them happy!
Soil
Because they don’t like to sit in wet soil, you should choose a well-draining potting mix made specifically for houseplant to pot your Syngonium. Standard soil won’t give your Syngonium all the nutrients it needs, but a houseplant potting mix with bits of bark mixed in will provide excellent drainage.
Pests & Diseases
Like with most other leafy plants, you should never assume that houseplants can’t affect your plant babies. It’s best to stay on top of them by checking for pests every time you water and rotate your plants. Pests like spider mites and aphids are easy to ignore until they’ve done too much damage to reverse!
Tips
Syngoniums can get pretty large, but they love to be pruned to maintain their fullness.
Rotate your Syngonium every time you water them to encourage all around, even growth.
Repot your Syngonium every other year.
Signs your plant is unhappy
Droopy stems: incredibly underwatered
Yellow leaves and wet soil: overwatered
Yellow leaves and dry soil: underwatered
Curling leaves: extremely dry air, temperatures are too cold, poor water quality.
Mushy black stems: overwatered
Propagation
Syngoniums are not diffiuclt to propagate. Just take a cutting below a node and place it in a glass of clean water. Set them out of direct sunlight and wait! Once the roots have reached at least two inches, you can transfer your cutting to soil!
Fun Facts
Syngoniums can vine or climb!
They are very easy to water propagate.
Syngonium are a perennial plant.
They are native to Mexico, Ecuador, Brasil, and Bolivia!
Hardiness Zones
While it may be tempting to move your Syngonium outside, be sure to check your area’s hardiness zones before you do! They are not tolerate to cold temperatures. The USDA Hardiness Zones for Syngonium are 9-11. If you live in Tennessee, check out the hardiness map below!
