Hypoestes phyllostachya
Encyclopedia
Hypoestes phyllostachya, commonly called Polka Dot Plant, is a herbaceous plant
native to Madagascar
.
Cultivation
Hypoestes phyllostachya is cultivated as an ornamental plant
commonly used as a houseplant
but can also be grown outside as an annual plant. The most common type has pink leaves with green spots. It may produce small pink flowers that sightly resemble scented geranium
s. Many different cultivar
s have been created with different foliage colors.
Herbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
native to Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
.
Cultivation
Hypoestes phyllostachya is cultivated as an ornamental plant
Ornamental plant
Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...
commonly used as a houseplant
Houseplant
A houseplant is a plant that is grown indoors in places such as residences and offices. Houseplants are commonly grown for decorative purposes, positive psychological effects, or health reasons such as indoor air purification...
but can also be grown outside as an annual plant. The most common type has pink leaves with green spots. It may produce small pink flowers that sightly resemble scented geranium
Pelargonium
Pelargonium is a genus of flowering plants which includes about 200 species of perennials, succulents, and shrubs, commonly known as scented geraniums or storksbills. Confusingly, Geranium is the correct botanical name of a separate genus of related plants often called Cranesbills. Both Geranium...
s. Many different cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s have been created with different foliage colors.