What's this plant?: Houseplant ID and Advice

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Izumi Brooklyn, NY August 16, 2008 12:02 PM	I'm currently taking care of a houseplant for someone who is out of the country, but since I've never had this type of plant before I don't know how to care for it. I suspect it is a pretty common variety, but in the few brief searches I've done so far, I haven't been able to find a picture like it online. I think of myself as being "pretty good" with houseplants, but that may be because I've stuck to a few easy varieties, like pothos and succulents. This plant seems to be touchier than any others I have had. Actually, there were originally two of them (one with pink speckles instead of white), but it already died! This one seems okay, but it has turned a little brown on the tips. Not sure what I'm doing wrong, or what exactly it needs. I would be very appreciative if someone could offer an ID and some growing tips. Many thanks. View Larger
kls_01 Champaign, IL (Zone 5b) August 16, 2008 7:23 PM	It's hard to tell from the pic, but it might be a polka dot plant: [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]
plantladylin East Central, FL (Zone 9a) August 16, 2008 7:26 PM	It is hard to tell for sure from the dark photo but my first thought was Hypoestes too. There are 9 listed in Plant Files: [HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com] It looks like your friend's plant has not been pinched back and has gotten pretty long and leggy, if it is Hypoestes.
kls_01 Champaign, IL (Zone 5b) August 16, 2008 10:01 PM	If it is a polka dot plant, it may be that its too wet and is rotting since it looks like there's only two or three scraggly stems in the pot. This happened to me last year when I took my polka dot plant inside. I had one measly little stem survive that hardly put out any leaves. When I put it back outside this summer, it was just a little 1/2 inch stub....and then it took off. I've been pinching it back since they do get leggy and rooting the tips I remove in the same pot. Now it's full and bushy and very healthy looking. From what I've read, they like North windows, to be fertilized at 1/2 strength(I think about every two weeks in the summer), and that they can get quite an extensive root system and generally need to be repotted twice a year because of it. My little twig was in a large pot for it, so I potted it in a little 4" pot. Now it's rootbound and I will probably pot it up a size before I bring it in this fall. Hopefully it does better this year! Anyway, if you think that it might die anyway, you could try pinching it back and rooting the tips...it could also be that since now the stems don't have many leaves on them, they're not taking up as much water leaving the dirt soggy and rotting them. You could check the bottom where the drain holes are to see if you see roots....if it doesn't appear to be too rootbound, maybe you could pot it down a size so the dirt will dry up a little? I don't know, I'm hardly a professional, so hopeful someone who knows what they're doing(instead of guessing) will help you out! Good luck! Kristie

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