Syngonium podophyllum

Last updated

Syngonium podophyllum
Zingiber malaysianum.jpg
var. podophyllum [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Order: Alismatales
Family: Araceae
Genus: Syngonium
Species:
S. podophyllum
Binomial name
Syngonium podophyllum
Synonyms [2]
  • Syngonium podophyllum var. typicumEngl.
  • Syngonium peliocladumSchott
  • Pothos auritusWilld.
  • Arum auritumVell. 1831, illegitimate homonym, not L. 1759
  • Xanthosoma gracileMiq.
  • Syngonium ruiziiSchott
  • Syngonium vellozoanumSchott
  • Syngonium affineSchott
  • Syngonium decipiensSchott
  • Syngonium gracile(Miq.) Schott
  • Syngonium poeppigiiSchott
  • Syngonium riedelianumSchott
  • Syngonium willdenowiiSchott
  • Syngonium xanthophilumSchott
  • Syngonium amazonicumEngl.
  • Syngonium ternatumGleason

Syngonium podophyllum is a species of aroid that is a popular houseplant. Common names include: arrowhead plant, arrowhead vine, arrowhead philodendron , goosefoot, nephthytis, [3] African evergreen, [4] and American evergreen. [5] The species is native to a wide region of Latin America from Mexico through Bolivia, and naturalized in the West Indies, Florida, Texas, Hawaii, and other places. [2] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

Contents

Etymology

Syngonium podophyllum is the most commonly cultivated species in the genus Syngonium , and is often referred to simply as syngonium. It was originally confused with the similar-looking African genus Nephthytis , and this is still used as a common name for the plant. It was given its own genus in 1879. [15]

The Latin specific epithet podophyllum means "with foot/feet-like leaves". [16]

Description

It climbs a few meters tall over the trunks of tropical jungle trees, clinging by its roots. The cultivars cultivated indoors reach a height of up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft). During the year, the plant grows about 30 cm (12 in) and produces 6-7 leaves. Its single leaves, usually arrow-shaped, are up to 30 cm (12 in) long. In the wild, the leaves are dark green and without variegation. Cultivated varieties have leaves in various shades of green, often light green and usually with different types of lighter tannins. There are several variegated cultivars, the main differences being in the position and extent of the cream or white markings. Some leaves are almost entirely white, pink or yellow.

Its flowers are small, greenish or whitish on spadices within light-yellow through green spathes. However, the plants grown indoors do not bloom, aside from the older, well-cared-for specimens.

Cultivation

As a vine, it requires some support. It can also be grown as a groundcover plant. The soil should be humus and systematically watered. Varieties with leaves with pink, reddish, or white markings require a well-lit place, though those with dark green leaves can grow in a darker place. The summer temperature should not exceed 38 °C (100 °F). In winter, it should not be lower than 0 °C (32 °F). Preferring moist air, it should be watered 2-3 times a week in summer but much less often in winter.[ citation needed ]

To ensure adequate humidity, the plant pot should be placed in a larger container with constantly moist peat and sprayed with water daily. Dusty leaves should be wiped clean with a damp cloth. Feed in the summer with a small dose of fertilizers dissolved in water. After a few years of cultivation, the plant becomes unattractive, where its cutting is advisable, and then it will produce new shoots. It should be transplanted only when necessary. [17]

It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [3] [18]

"Syngonium podophyllum can also be grown directly in water (roots submerged 24/7), which it's a perfect candidate for, or in hydroculture (wash roots free of soil and pot up in clay pellets), which helps eliminate all water woes. If you decide to grow in water, keep the water properly oxygenated at all times by changing it often (at least once a week would be terrific)." [19]

Propagation

The plant can be propagated by cuttings in water, or straight into potting compost. Nonetheless, both methods have a good success rate, providing the right part of the plant is cut. Cuttings using the rooting machine are rooted in a multiplier at a temperature of 18 °C (64 °F). Cuttings from the tops of the shoots are easier to root than cuttings from lower areas of shoots. [20]

Toxicity

All parts of Syngonium podophyllum are poisonous and cause severe mouth pain if eaten. [21] It is not unusual to find these growing in Sub-tropical Florida landscapes, where homeowners and Gardeners need to be aware of the severe skin burning sensations caused by the plants sap containing oxalic acid and the eye damage potential from raphides. [22]

Varieties

Among the wild populations, two varieties are formally recognized: [2] [23]

  1. Syngonium podophyllum var. peliocladum(Schott) Croat - Costa Rica, Panama
  2. Syngonium podophyllum var. podophyllum - widespread as a native from Mexico to Brazil and Bolivia, as well as Trinidad; naturalized in the West Indies (including the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas), Florida, Texas, Hawaii, Seychelles, Borneo, and Malaysia
Syngonium podophyllum
Arrowhead plant 047.jpg
Arrowhead plant, Syngonium podophyllum
Leaf macrophotography.jpg
Underside of the Syngonium podophyllum leaf.
Alocasia.jpg
'White Butterfly' cultivar.
Syngonium podophyllum02.JPG
Inflorescence with a spathe and spadix.
Syngonium podophyllum a1.jpg
In a pot

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Araceae</span> Family of flowering plants

The Araceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe. Also known as the arum family, members are often colloquially known as aroids. This family of 140 genera and about 4,075 known species is most diverse in the New World tropics, although also distributed in the Old World tropics and northern temperate regions.

<i>Epipremnum aureum</i> Species of plant

Epipremnum aureum is a species in the arum family Araceae, native to Mo'orea in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. The species is a popular houseplant in temperate regions but has also become naturalised in tropical and sub-tropical forests worldwide, including northern South Africa, Australia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Pacific Islands and the West Indies, where it has caused severe ecological damage in some cases.

<i>Syngonium</i> Genus of flowering plants

Syngonium is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical rainforests in southern Mexico, the West Indies, Central and South America. They are woody vines growing to heights of 10–20 m or more in trees. They have leaves that change shape according to the plant's stage of growth, and adult leaf forms are often much more lobed than the juvenile forms usually seen on small house plants. The scientific name of the genus comes from the Greek words σύν and γονή and refers to the fused ovaries of female flowers.

<i>Alocasia</i> Genus of flowering plant

Alocasia is a genus of rhizomatous or tuberous, broad-leaved, perennial, flowering plants from the family Araceae. There are about 90 accepted species native to tropical and subtropical Asia and eastern Australia. Around the world, many growers widely cultivate a range of hybrids and cultivars as ornamentals.

<i>Anthurium</i> Genus of plants

Anthurium is a genus of about 1,000 species of flowering plants, the largest genus of the arum family, Araceae. General common names include anthurium, tailflower, flamingo flower, and laceleaf.

<i>Furcraea foetida</i> Species of flowering plant

Furcraea foetida is a species of flowering plant native to the Caribbean and northern South America. It is widely cultivated and reportedly naturalized in many places.

<i>Zamioculcas</i> Species of plant

Zamioculcas is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, containing the single species Zamioculcas zamiifolia. It is a tropical herbaceous perennial plant, native to eastern Africa including Kenya, KwaZulu-Natal, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Common names include Zanzibar gem, ZZ plant, Zuzu plant, aroid palm, eternity plant and emerald palm. It is grown as a houseplant mainly for its attractive glossy foliage and easy care. Zamioculcas zamiifolia is winter hardy to USDA Zones 9–10.

<i>Nephthytis</i> Genus of flowering plants

Nephthytis is a genus of eight species of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to tropical western Africa, with one species in Borneo.

<i>Dieffenbachia seguine</i> Species of flowering plant

Dieffenbachia seguine, widely known as dumbcane, as well as leopard lily or tuftroot, is a species of Dieffenbachia, a flowering aroid plant of the family Araceae. It is native to the neotropical realm of the Americas, from extreme southern Mexico and Belize and much of Central America, as well as the northern half of South America. It is found on many Caribbean islands and territories, including Cuba, Grand Bahama, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Hispaniola, Îles des Saintes, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, Saba, Saint Kitts and Trinidad and Tobago. D. seguine is also found on the Galápagos islands of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal, where it was likely introduced by humans.

<i>Aglaonema</i> Genus of flowering plants

Aglaonema is a genus of flowering plants in the arum family, Araceae. They are native to tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and New Guinea. They are known commonly as Chinese evergreens.

<i>Acalypha hispida</i> Flowering shrub

Acalypha hispida, the chenille plant, is a flowering shrub which belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae, the subfamily Acalyphinae, and the genus Acalypha. Acalypha is the fourth largest genus of the family Euphorbiaceae, and contains many plants native to Hawaii and Oceania.

<i>Stephanotis floribunda</i> Species of flowering plant

Stephanotis floribunda syn. S. jasminoides, the Madagascar jasmine, waxflower, Hawaiian wedding flower, or bridal wreath is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to Madagascar. It is a twining, sparsely branched liana that can measure up to 6 m in length.

<i>Epipremnum</i> Genus of flowering plants

Epipremnum is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, found in tropical forests from China, the Himalayas, and Southeast Asia to Australia the western Pacific. They are evergreen perennial vines climbing with the aid of aerial roots. They may be confused with other Monstereae such as Rhaphidophora, Scindapsus and Amydrium.

<i>Ctenanthe</i> Genus of flowering plants

Ctenanthe is a genus of flowering plants of the family Marantaceae described as a genus in 1884. They are evergreen perennials, native to Central and South America. They are grown for their attractive, often variegated foliage. They are frost tender, requiring a minimum temperature of 13 °C (55 °F).

<i>Guzmania monostachia</i> Species of flowering plant

Guzmania monostachia is an epiphytic species in the genus Guzmania. Also known as a West Indian tufted airplant, this species is native to South America, Central America, the West Indies and Florida. The species is also reportedly naturalized in Hawaii.

<i>Tradescantia sillamontana</i> Species of flowering plant

Tradescantia sillamontana is a perennial evergreen herbaceous plant of the genus Tradescantia. This species is one of the most succulent and xerophytic, but at the same time one of the most attractive species of Tradescantia. It is endemic to dry areas of the State of Nuevo León in northeastern Mexico and can also be found in Spain and Italy.

<i>Anthurium crystallinum</i> Species of plant

Anthurium crystallinum is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to rainforest margins in Central and South America, from Panamá to Perú. Growing to around 90 cm (35 in) tall and wide, A. crystallinum is an epiphytic perennial evergreen, known for its dark green and velvety-textured, heart-shaped leaves featuring prominent white veining, and somewhat resembles a smaller version of Anthurium magnificum. The inflorescence is a somewhat visually-nondescript spathe with a pale green spadix, appearing throughout the year.

<i>Philodendron erubescens</i> Species of vine

Philodendron erubescens, the blushing philodendron or red-leaf philodendron, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to Colombia. It is a robust evergreen climber growing to 3–6 m (10–20 ft), with red stems and heart-shaped leaves up to 40 cm (16 in) in length. The flowers are deep red, fragrant spathes up to 15 cm (6 in) long, in summer and autumn. The specific epithet erubescens means "blushing".

<i>Scindapsus pictus</i> Species of flowering plant

Scindapsus pictus—commonly called satin pothos, silver pothos, or silver vine—is a species of flowering plant in the aroid or arum family, Araceae, native to Bangladesh, Borneo, India, Java, Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Taiwan and Thailand. The Latin specific epithet pictus means "painted", referring to the variegation on the leaves.

<i>Thaumatophyllum xanadu</i> Species of flowering plant

Thaumatophyllum xanadu is a perennial plant belonging to the arum family Araceae and the genus Thaumatophyllum, formerly classified under the Meconostigma subgenus of Philodendron. This plant is native to Brazil, but is widely cultivated as a landscape plant in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate climates.

References

  1. Adolf Engler - Das Pflanzenreich vol. 71 (1920)
  2. 1 2 3 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
  3. 1 2 "RHS Plantfinder - Syngonium podophyllum" . Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  4. "Nephthytis, African evergreen, Arrowhead Vine (Syngonium podophyllum)". www.desert-tropicals.com. Archived from the original on 2000-07-11.
  5. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Syngonium podophyllum". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 7 December 2015.
  6. Govaerts, R. & Frodin, D.G. (2002). World Checklist and Bibliography of Araceae (and Acoraceae): 1-560. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  7. Hammel, B.E. & al. (2003). Manual de Plantas de Costa Rica 2: 1-694. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
  8. Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2005). Monocotyledons and Gymnosperms of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 52: 1-415.
  9. Hernandez, J. (2007). In Hawaiian rainforests: exotic aroid ecologies. Aroideana 30: 91-97.
  10. Nelson Sutherland, C.H. (2008). Catálogo de las plantes vasculares de Honduras. Espermatofitas: 1-1576. SERNA/Guaymuras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
  11. Hokche, O., Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (eds.) (2008). Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela: 1-859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela.
  12. Arruda Pontes, T., Moreira de Andrade, I. & Alves, M. (2010). Flora da Usina São José, Igarassu, Pernambuco: Araceae. Rodriguésia; Revista do Instituto de Biologia Vegetal, Jardim Botânico e Estaçao Biologica do Itatiaya 61: 689-794.
  13. Oppenheimer, H. (2011). New Hawaiian plant records for 2009. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 220: 5-10.
  14. Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & Strong, M.T. (2012). Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contributions to Botany 98: 1-1192.
  15. "Arkansas Yard & Garden Resources | Gardening and lawn care in Arkansas".
  16. Harrison, Lorraine (2012). RHS Latin for Gardeners. United Kingdom: Mitchell Beazley. ISBN   978-1845337315.
  17. Dawid Longman: Nurturing house plants . Warsaw: Państwowe Wydawnictwo Rolnicze i Leśne, 1997. ISBN   83-09-01559-3 .
  18. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 100. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
  19. Life (martha), Plowing Through (2011-06-10). "Plowing Through Life: Syngonium Podophyllum". Plowing Through Life. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
  20. Roskov Y., Kunze T., Orrell T., Abucay L., Paglinawan L., Culham A., Bailly N., Kirk P., Bourgoin T., Baillargeon G., Decock W., De Wever A., Didžiulis V. (ed) (2014).
  21. "Poisonous Plants of North Carolina - Syngonium podophyllum". www.ces.ncsu.edu. Archived from the original on 2000-10-01.
  22. "Miami-Dade County - UF/IFAS Extension" (PDF).
  23. "Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution map".