If you want a plant that’s beautiful, easy to maintain, and hard to kill, a Syngonium Neon Robusta will be an excellent choice. With their pink leaves and aesthetic vibes, these plants are a sight to see, which is why they’re popular as ornamental houseplants. Growers hang them in baskets or let them climb up sturdy support. Either way, their leaves give a beautiful color to any interior and clean your surrounding air.
However, if you’re considering this species for your living room, you need to know a couple of more things.
Classification
- Family: Araceae
- Subfamily: Aroideae
- Genus: Syngonium
About the Genus Syngonium
The name Syngonium comes from the Greek language and represents the fused ovaries of its female flowers. All Syngonium plants are flowering plants that grow as long, beautiful, woody vines. Their leaves change as they grow, and a juvenile plant looks a lot different from a mature one. Because of their attractive foliage and tendency to thrive in indoor environments, they are trendy house plants, especially when they are juvenile.
All Syngonium plants grow flowers, but they are often insignificant next to their primary feature- the foliage. These flowers are majorly present for reproduction and bear fruit as well. These fruits are very aromatic and have approximately 50 to 100 seeds, sometimes even more.
The most commonly found species in this genus is the Syngonium Podophyllum, which we will discuss today in detail.
Common Names and Synonyms
- The pink Syngonium
- Pink Arrowhead plant
- Syngonium Podophyllum pink
- Syngonium Podophyllum Neon Robusta
- Goosefoot
Origin and Distribution
Syngonium plants generally like to live in the tropical and subtropical areas of the world, particularly the American rainforests from Mexico to Brazil. They are the most concentrated in areas of Panama and Costa Rica. Other parts that have a favorable environment for these plants to grow include wetlands, urban areas, thickets, and ruderal areas.
Knowing where a specific plant species comes from helps you see what condition will help them thrive. When you plan to grow a Syngonium plant indoors, make sure that you give it a similar environment to its tropical and subtropical origins. Some of the most popular plants of this genus are Syngonium Erythrophyllum, Syngonium Rayii, and Syngonium podophyllum.
Syngonium Neon Robusta Features
Foliage and Stem
These plants grow as vines and look very pretty displayed on shelves. However, the feature that they are particularly famous for is their foliage-the the bright, beautiful, rosy pink leaves that grow as long as 5.5 inches when they are juvenile and 14 inches in their full adult form. Apart from their sizes, the leaves of immature and mature plants are different shape-wise as well. The youngest parents have more heart-shaped ovate leaves, while the older ones become over arrow-shaped.
Evergreen
A plus point you would like to know about a neon robusta is that it has evergreen foliage. Thanks to this feature, it looks pretty in the growing seasons and throughout the year. This reason is also why it is so popular as an ornamental indoor plant.
Height
Under the right conditions, a Syngonium Neon Robusta can grow to a height of 0.5 to 2 feet and spread as wide as 1 to 2 feet. However, this height also depends on where the plant is growing since it grows much longer in outdoor, hardy environments.
Growth
If given proper care, Syngonium Neon Robusta is a fast-growing plant. Within just a few months, the vines can grow up to several feet of length.
Temperature Tolerance
Although these plants like to stay under warm temperatures, they appreciate being kept under a moderate range. Rapid fluctuations in the surrounding temperatures do not do well to a Neon Robusta Syngonium. Plus, keep it particularly safe from cold, frosty environments as it’s tolerance to lower temperatures is not so good.
Humidity Tolerance
Originating from rainforests and other humid places, Neon Robusta plants have a high tolerance for moisture in the air. They grow much better when the humidity levels around them are high.
Flowers
Even though they belong to a genus of flowering plants, they rarely ever blossom indoors. When they do grow flowers, they grow insignificant green spathes and green/white spadix. These flowers can later bear fruit in the form of black-brown berries.
Drought-resistance
The need for regular watering and high humidity levels means that this particular Aroid plant species would not survive well under drought conditions. However, if kept under such circumstances for a while and then given the proper care, these plants can bounce back to normal.
Disease and Pest Resistance
Sadly, these plants are prone to catching pests such as mealybugs, scales, spider mites, and aphids. They can also catch diseases like soft rot and bacterial leaf spot if kept under inadequate or inappropriate conditions.
Toxicity
Unfortunately, as pretty and attractive as they are, Syngonium plants are toxic as they contain calcium oxalate crystals. Even in small amounts, these crystals can result in mild to moderate symptoms, including irritation, inflammation, and breathing limitations.
Durability
Since they are annual plants, their durability depends on how you keep them. More care means longevity of a Neon Robusta, whereas inadequate conditions will result in a shorter life cycle.
Maintenance
While most unique and beautiful plants such as this one require high amounts of effort, a Syngonium Neon Robusta is surprisingly easy to maintain.
Dormancy
During the winter season, these pink plants tend to become slow in terms of growth. During this period, reduce the amount of food and water you give them and avoid the propagation of the plant. Once spring hits, you can take care of them as usual.
Syngonium Neon Robusta Care
These plants like to live in bright but indirect sunlight along with a temperate and humid environment. You can water them regularly to make sure the soil remains moist and damp. feed them during the growing seasons while maintaining a soil pH of 5.5 to 6.5.
Water Requirements
When it comes to watering the plant, the rule of thumb is to ensure the soil stays damp/moist and not wet. You never want a soaked, waterlogged soil. You can simply use your fingers and check the soil’s texture or use a moisture meter to make sure that it’s ready to be watered again. Depending on how fast the ground starts to dry on top, you can regularly water your Syngonium Neon Robusta. This routine could be twice or thrice a week, more in the scorching heat and less during the winter season.
Soil
The simple soil-based potting mix is perfect for growing these plants. Just make sure that the soil drains well and does not accumulate excess water. If it does, the soil will become waterlogged and kill your Neon Robusta Pink Syngonium in no time. Also, make sure that it is rich and fertile to give the plant a maximum chance to grow. Peat moss is an excellent cost-effective soil amendment for this species and helps it thrive. Try to maintain the pH of the soil from 5.5 to 6.5.
Sunlight Requirements
The great thing about this Syngonium plant is that it never complains. You can put it in bright rooms or light shade, and it will still thrive. However, you must remember to keep it away from direct sunlight exposure. Being directly under the sun can cause sunburn to the leaves and make your Neon Robusta Syngonium look dull. If you have no way to keep it under the shade, use a 20 to 40% shade cloth to mellow the sunlight hitting the beautiful pink leaves.
Temperature Requirements
Syngonium Neon Robusta comes from a warm, humid environment of the rainforests. Thus, they thrive in similarly temperate climates. The particular optimum range of temperatures for these plants is 50 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. However, a minimum temperature of 61 degrees Fahrenheit and a maximum temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit will help the Syngonium grow to their maximum potential. Do not let the plant sit in cold environments during the winter season. If it is sitting outdoors or in front of an open window, reposition it as soon as possible.
Humidity
As mentioned earlier, humidity is an ally to the Syngonium Neon Robusta plants. You can mist them daily or keep them in a pebble tray filled with water. If you reside in a much drier area of the world, consider installing an indoor humidifier. Maintaining the moisture in the air around these plants keeps the leaves looking fresh and prevents dehydration.
Fertilizer Requirements
For maximum growing speed, it is ideal if you feed the plant once every two months. Give it half the recommended amount since too much fertilizer can ironically slow its growth down and even kill it. Be particularly cautious of low-quality fertilizer as it can damage the plant’s roots and the rest of it. If your plant is turning pale or the color is fading, take notice of its fertilizing requirements.
Re-potting
You can re-pot the plant depending on how long you want it to grow. If you see the roots trying to escape the pot through the drainage holes, it’s time to shift it to a bigger pot. Preferably do this in the spring or summer season.
Grooming and Pruning
Because these are vines, you can trim and maintain them to a particular length and shape. However, grooming and pruning the plant should also be an opportunity to inspect the Syngonium Neon Robusta properly. Make sure it is free of any signs of pest attacks and diseases. Mist the plant and wipe it clean to make sure no germs or dirt accumulate on the plant’s surface.
Cultivation and Propagation
It is effortless to propagate a Syngonium Neon Robusta. With these plants, you can either root them in water first or grow them directly in a soil mix.
Here’s all that you’ve got to do if you wish to root them in water first:
- Take a stem cutting from a mature neon robusta pink Syngonium. It should be about 2 to 3 inches long.
- Fill a jar or container with water.
- Place the stem cutting inside the jar. Ensure that the cut end is submerged while the side that has leaves stays out of the water.
- You can change the water in the container every few days or three times a week.
- Make sure you put it under warm temperatures and away from direct sunlight exposure.
- Meanwhile, fill a pot with suitable soil mix.
- When you see the roots growing visibly, remove the baby plant from the water and place it in the prepared container.
However, if you don’t want to root the plant in water, you can take the cutting and plant it directly in a soil pot. Maintain the humidity levels around it and give it lots of water and fertilizer in the early phase of growth.
A good tip is to take several cuttings instead of just one and plant them at a reasonable distance from each other. Plus, place the cuttings near the pot’s edge instead of the center.
Growth Timeline
Day 1 to 20: Plant the cutting in your desired medium and keep it under the optimal conditions.
Week 3 to 8: Once you see roots starting to appear, you can shift the plant to a soiled or bigger pot.
Month 3 to 9: If all goes well, you will see shoots coming out and sprouting nicely in the first few months. By the end of the year, your Syngonium Neon Robusta will mature and become an adult plant several feet long.
Final Thoughts
Syngonium Podophyllum Neon Robusta plants are beautiful but amazingly simple to maintain. They grow fast and do not require fancy conditions and efforts to thrive. You can hang them in a basket and let them trail down, looking beautiful with their dusty pink foliage. However, make sure that you either maintain the length of these vines or keep pets and children far away from them as they are not edible.
Overall, this species is famous for its good looks but still “down to earth”; quite literally!
