Plant profile
Arrowhead plant
Syngonium podophyllum
Also known as arrowhead vine, nephthytis, goosefoot plant.
Arrowhead plant is a tropical climber grown for its patterned arrow-shaped juvenile leaves. It is especially good in pots, hanging baskets and bright indoor positions where you can let it trail or give it support to climb.
- Grows well in
- Tropical, Subtropical, Temperate, Mediterranean
- Lifecycle
- Evergreen tropical climbing perennial
- Light
- Part shade, Shade
- Mature size
- Vines can run several metres; indoor plants are usually kept to 0.5–2 m
- Spacing
- One plant per pot, or about 60–100 cm apart in a garden bed where you can give it a support.
- Growth habit
- Climbing or creeping evergreen aroid
- Native range
- Mexico through tropical Central and South America
- Natural habitat
- Wet tropical forest, where it climbs trees and can root both in the ground and along trunks.
When to plant
Tropical
August–April
Subtropical
September–March
Temperate
September–February
Mediterranean
September–March
Repot during warm active growth. Outdoors, only use it where the climate and site suit a tropical climber.
Planting
For the safest garden use, keep it in a container with a pole or small trellis. Use free-draining mix and keep runners from rooting into nearby ground.
Position and light
Bright indirect light or filtered shade. Hot direct sun scorches leaves; deep shade can make growth sparse.
Soil
Rich, free-draining potting mix that holds some moisture without staying saturated.
Watering
Water when the upper mix begins to dry, then drain well. Reduce watering during cooler, slower growth.
Feeding
Feed lightly during active growth with a balanced indoor-plant fertiliser.
Pruning
Cut back long vines to control size. Outdoors, remove every escaping stem and rooted section.
Propagation
Stem cuttings with at least one node root easily. Do not dump cuttings outdoors.
Common problems
Root rot is the main issue when the mix stays wet for too long. Yellow leaves can also follow low light or root stress. Scale, thrips and spider mites may appear on indoor plants.
Safety notes
All parts contain irritating calcium oxalate crystals. Keep away from children and pets that chew plants.
Worth knowing
Young leaves have the familiar arrow shape, while mature climbing growth can develop larger, more divided leaves. There are many cultivars with white, cream, pink or lime markings, so foliage colour varies a lot between plants.
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