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Syngonium White Butterfly – 4 Caring tips & Propagation Guide

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The Syngonium White Butterfly, botanically known as the Syngonium Podophyllum, is a plant that belongs to the Arrowhead Vine family. This fascinating species is native to Latin America and latches onto tree trunks in tropical jungles.

The Syngonium White Butterfly is a common sighting in households, a low-maintenance focal point of many indoor gardens.

Syngonium White Butterfly 1
Syngonium White Butterfly – via Etsy

The Main Characteristics of a Syngonium White Butterfly plant

Leaves

The plant is trendy amongst the gardening community because of its physical appearance. New shoots are heart-shaped, displaying a white venation core with dark green edging. As the name suggests, once the Syngonium White Butterfly matures, its leaves flaunt their famous butterfly arrowhead shape.

Growth & Size

A Syngonium White Butterfly can grow up to 18-24 inches in width and height. The direction of growth depends on whether it is given support or grown as a hanging plant.

Generally, when plants are grown without support, they are denser and more tangled. When they are raised with support, they are more uniform.

The stems contain a milky sap that can be found when broken.

Flowers

Syngonium White Butterfly plants usually do not flower indoors due to inadequate sunlight. When it receives enough sunlight, it blooms in a spadix, a tiny bunch of flowers on the plant’s stem.

Air Purifier

The Syngonium White Butterfly not only serves to glamorize our homes but has also proven to be an excellent air purifier. It is known to remove irritable and harmful gases found in products used to maintain our homes. 

Pests

Infestations are rare if your plant is kept healthy. On the other hand, a frail plant may suffer from many problems such as Aphids or spider mites. To treat infestations, it is recommended to use insecticidal soap and dust your plants often to catch wind of them as soon as possible.

Cautions

The Syngonium White Butterfly may have the potential to be an invasive species. It is considered one in Singapore and the United States. Also, the plant is toxic to felines and may cause serious illnesses to your furry friend.

Syngonium White Butterfly 2
Syngonium White Butterfly – via Etsy

How to take care of your Syngonium White Butterfly

Watering

It is essential to water your plant on time to keep your plant healthy. Syngonium is usually easy to maintain and watering your plant will not require much effort.

Water your plant around once a week in warm climates. Generally, you should water the plant once the soil dries. Your plant won’t need as much water for cold climates, so you should water it once every two weeks.

Adjust water levels to see how much your plant requires, and make sure the roots are not exposed to standing water for over 10 minutes.

Standing water may erode the soil and damage your plant’s roots. If your Syngonium is outdoors and in direct sunlight, you should check the plant’s soil every few days to ensure it isn’t drying up too quickly.

Temperature & Humidity

The Syngonium White Butterfly thrives in mild to moderate temperatures. Its optimal temperature is around 16 to 21 degrees Celsius. Ensure that you do not leave this plant in cold temperatures or close to air conditioning units, as it will result in the loss of leaves and the plant falling into shock.

Fundamentally, humidity levels must stay over 60%. Anything below that would result in losing the plant’s normal structure. Leaving the plant in dry air will lead to leaf crisping, and exposing it to extremely high humidity levels would leave the plant more susceptible to bacterial or fungal infections.

It is recommended that you group all your houseplants or bring a humidifier to control humidity levels and prevent unwanted problems.

Soil

The Syngonium White Butterfly can grow in a variety of different soils. It is quite robust and can grow in regular soil too. The ideal pH values are from 5.5 to 6.5.

The relatively low pH helps keep unwanted pests away. The plant grows best in soils rich in organic matter; therefore, creating a potting mix using coarse sand and leaf mold is recommended. All-purpose potting soil will also do the trick.

Remember to keep your soil moist, especially during spring and summer. Avoid using soils with a general formula or those made for growing vegetables. You can use a half-strength indoor plant liquid fertilizer for relatively faster growth.

Light

Essentially you should place the plant in areas with bright but indirect sunlight. If the plant is kept inside, it can be grown under artificial lights. If it is grown outside, it is better to place it in a partially lit area.

A Guide to its Propagation

To propagate our Syngonium White Butterfly, we will be using the Stem Cutting method. Essentially it is just stem pieces that are cut off from the parent plant and then used to grow a new plant.

The Procedure

  1. Prepare an appropriate potting mix, preferably with what has been mentioned above.
  2. Cut a piece of the stem that has at least one leaf already formed on it. Make sure the cut is close to a node (joint in the stem).
  3. Place the segment into a container with fresh water (without chlorine).
  4. Change the water every week until roots start to grow.
  5. When the roots are a few inches long, transfer the entire segment into the potting mix prepared earlier.
  6. Add more soil and water to strengthen the base and spread the roots out in the soil.
  7. Place the pot in bright, dappled sunlight.

Summary

The Syngonium White Butterfly has been a popular houseplant for decades. It is easy to care for, beautifies your home with its varied foliage, and, best of all, it can easily be propagated.

The Syngonium White Butterfly is your go-to plant if you’re looking to embellish your home without having to spend too much time looking after it. 

You could refer to various methods, with the easiest one listed above, if you wish to propagate this plant. Just follow the steps that we’ve listed down for you, and you’re good to go.