Syngoniums (Arrowhead Vines)

How to choose a syngonium

Match the leaf colour to the light you have. Pixie Arrowhead Vine is a miniature form that stays small enough for a desk or a terrarium. Neon Arrowhead Plant has soft pink leaves that need bright, indirect light to hold their colour. Golden Allusion Arrowhead Plant is golden green with pink veins, and Marble Arrowhead Plant carries cream variegation, so no two leaves match. Black Velvet Arrowhead Plant is the collector's choice: dark, velvety leaves with a pale central stripe, slower growing and fond of humidity.

The general rule is that the more white, cream or pink in the leaf, the more light the plant needs and the slower it grows.

Where syngoniums work

Indoors, place them in bright, indirect light: near an east facing window, or a metre or two back from a north or west facing one. Direct afternoon sun scorches the leaves. They enjoy the humidity of bathrooms and kitchens. Outdoors they grow on a shaded, sheltered patio in frost free areas. Keep them in pots: arrowhead vine is an environmental weed in parts of Queensland and New South Wales, so never plant it near bushland or dump cuttings in green spaces.

Syngoniums are toxic to pets and people if chewed, and the sap can irritate skin, so place them out of reach of cats, dogs and small children. For homes where that is difficult, see our plants safe for pets. Browse the wider range of indoor plants and low light indoor plants for companions.

Planting and spacing

Pot into a free draining indoor potting mix, in a container with drainage holes that is one size larger than the nursery pot. For a full bowl, plant three small plants together about 10cm apart. For a climbing specimen, set a moss pole or coir totem in the pot at planting and tie the stems to it loosely until the aerial roots take hold. Repot every year or two in spring, when roots circle the base of the pot.

Care basics

Water when the top 2cm to 3cm of mix feels dry, and empty the saucer afterwards. Yellow lower leaves usually mean too much water, and brown crisp edges mean dry air or a missed watering. Water less in winter and keep plants above about 10 degrees. Feed monthly from spring to autumn with a liquid fertiliser at half strength. Pinch out the growing tips to keep a plant bushy, or let the stems run if you want it to climb or trail. Stem cuttings with a node root readily in water. Check leaf undersides for mealybug and spider mite. Our guide on how to keep your indoor plants alive covers light and watering in more depth.

Common questions

Are syngoniums toxic to pets?

Yes. All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals that irritate the mouth and stomach of cats and dogs if chewed. Keep plants out of reach and contact a vet if a pet eats some.

Do syngoniums climb?

Yes. Young plants are bushy, then they produce longer stems with aerial roots. Train these up a pole, let them trail, or trim them off to keep the plant compact.

Why is my syngonium losing its colour?

Usually too little light. Pink, cream and white forms turn greener in dim positions. Move the plant somewhere brighter, out of direct sun, and new leaves will colour up.

Can syngoniums grow in low light?

Green forms cope with lower light, although they grow more slowly and become leggy. Strongly coloured and variegated forms need bright, indirect light.