A snow-white waffle plant is a great indoor house plant with colorful foliage. It has white, purple, and green leaves with a metallic tint. It is native to India and Indonesia, but it can grow anywhere as long as the soil is moist and acidic.
If you are looking for an indoor plant with vibrant colors, the snow-white waffle plant might be the right choice for you. This article covers everything you need to know about this plant, including how to take care of it, how to propagate it, and so much more.
What is a Snow White Waffle Plant?
The snow-white waffle plant is also known as Hemigraphis Alternata in Latin. It has a beautiful color variation from purple, deep green, white, and red. Its leaves have a waffle-like appearance, hence the nickname waffle plant.
The plant is low maintenance and perfect for beginners. It is an excellent choice for a terrarium or an outdoor garden since it provides an attractive groundcover. It always stands out among other plants due to its luscious colors and its ability to trail from the pots or baskets.
What to Consider Before Planting a Snow White Waffle Plant
Planting season
The planting season for the snow-white waffle plant is from early spring to early summer or from March to June. The plant thrives under bright filtered light. So, during these months, expose it to the sun in the early morning hours or later in the afternoon. Also, water it frequently and monitor its growth.
Soil Requirements
For indoor planting, use commercial or regular potting soil with a light texture that allows maximum aeration and drainage. Potting mixes come with different soilless mediums such as peat moss, sand, perlite, vermiculite, wood, and coconut fiber that drains well and prevents compaction.
Before planting the white waffle plant outdoors, conduct a soil test to ensure it has an acidic to neutral pH. (6.1-6.9) If it is not within the recommended pH, you can acidify it using acidic fertilizer or peat moss.
Watering Requirements
These plants thrive in moist and well-drained soil. They require to be watered regularly with just enough water to make the soil moist and not overly damp.
Overwatering the plant will inevitably lead to rotting. To avoid this, water the plant when the top inch of soil is dry. You can test it by doing the finger-dip test, which involves dipping your finger into the soil up to the second knuckle. If the finger comes up dry, it’s time to water the plant.
You can also prevent overwatering by using a fast-draining pot with enough drainage holes to create the proper water condition.
Fertilizer
Most potting mixes come with fertilizer, but some don’t. You can enrich the soil with finished compost, leaf mold, or fertilizer. A potting mix with 20% organic matter provides the necessary nutrients that the plant needs to flourish.
Fertilize the plant every month with a water-soluble fertilizer. Dilute the agent as instructed and pour the mixture into the soil. Alternatively, you can use a slow-release fertilizer to provide a steady diet rich in phosphate, nitrogen, and other nutrients.
Adequate lighting
Snow-white waffle plants thrive in medium light. They require at least six hours of exposure to indirect sunlight to flourish. If you use a grow light, do not position it directly above the plant. Instead, place it on the side to mimic indirect sunlight. If the light is too much, it causes chlorophyll breakdown, resulting in bleached and faded leaves. It also dries out the leaves.
On the other hand, if the light is insufficient, it slows down photosynthesis, a process where the plant converts sunlight into the energy it needs to grow and bloom. This results in a thin and dull-looking plant.
Temperature
The snow-white waffle plant flourishes in warm temperatures. Therefore, set an indoor temperature of 60 to 80 Fahrenheit (15-26 degrees). Avoid exposing them to temperatures below 55 Fahrenheit. During winter, move the potted plants to a warmer spot to protect them from cold and drying winds.
Note that the plant is not frost-hardy, meaning it cannot survive freezing temperatures. It, therefore, goes dormant during winter to conserve energy. This period is highly crucial to the survival of the plant.
Propagating the Snow White Waffle Plant
Snow-white waffle plants grow rapidly, forming small growth nodes on the stem. The nodes are a site of high cellular activity and differentiation. They can differentiate into roots, then stems, leaves and flowers.
To propagate the plant, use a sharp pair of scissors to cut 3 to 4 inches below the node. Make sure the stem cutting includes the node since it is the part that will grow into a new plant. Strip the leaves above and below the stem cutting, then plant it into a pot with rich organic soil and enough drainage.
Taking Care of Snow White Waffle Plant
Watering
Moderation is key when it comes to watering the snow-white waffle plant. The plant does not need to be soaked to the point of overflowing. It only needs watering every five days to ensure that the soil is damp but not soggy.
Remember, the side effects of underwatering are easier to manage than those of overwatering. With under watering, the plant wilts but recovers after a few days of regular watering, whereas overwatering leads to irreversible rotting.
In addition to watering, you can mist the plant. Misting increases humidity, especially during the winter when the air is dry. Mist the top and bottom sides of the leaves with warm water to mimic a light morning dew. Avoid overdoing it to prevent overwatering.
Re-potting
Snow-white waffle plants are small plants that grow to 6 inches, so they do not require frequent re-potting. However, if the roots start growing through the drainage holes, you must replant them into a larger container.
To re-pot, start by watering the plant in its original pot and leaving it to soak for one hour to make it easier to remove the plant. Next, pour some potting mix into the new container and then remove the plant gently from the original pot and place it on the new soil mix.
Next, add more potting mix and pat down the top layer of soil. Ensure that you leave at least an inch of space on the top to prevent overflowing. Then finish by lightly watering the plant.
Pruning
The snow-white waffle plant grows rapidly and may require frequent pruning. Use pruning shears to snip off overgrown stems and shape the plant. Instead of throwing away the pruned branch, you can use it to propagate the plant.
Common Problems with Snow White Waffle Plants
Fading Leaves
Fading leaves are signs of bleaching or sunburn caused by direct exposure to sunlight. They also mean that the plant is not receiving enough sunlight to produce the vibrant colors in the snow-white waffle plant.
To resolve this, reposition the plant near the window to ensure it gets enough light. However, ensure that it only receives medium light since too much light is detrimental.
Drooping or Crisping Leaves
The leaves begin to droop or become crispy when you underwater the plant. The solution is to water the plant regularly and ensure that the soil is damp and not soggy.
However, if you regularly water the plant, but it’s still droopy, the problem could be due to soil type. Loose soil does not hold water well. It drains faster so that the plant does not have enough time to absorb the water. The best solution is to enrich the soil with organic matter or re-pot it with the ideal pot mix.
Pests and diseases
Snow-white waffle plants are relatively resistant to diseases and pests. But, sometimes, they are affected by pests and diseases such as downy mildew and mealybugs.
Downy Mildew
Downy mildew is a fungal infection that affects indoor plants. It spreads quickly, so knowing how it presents will help you quarantine the infected plants before the infection spreads. The symptoms include discolored leaves, mottled appearance, and stunted growth.
Downy mildew makes the plant weak and susceptible to other infections. Avoid overwatering the plant and ensure that the pot has enough drainage to prevent this disease.
Mealybugs
Mealybugs are tiny insects that resemble cotton flecks. They cause the leaves to discolor and curl. To get rid of these destructive pests, use predatory bugs such as ladybugs. You can also spray water on the leaves to knock the bugs off the plant.
Thin Plant
Thinning occurs when the plant does not get enough sunlight. The plant tends to grow towards the light source to get the energy to survive. Move the plant closer to a window and prune the delicate parts to resolve this problem.
Conclusion
The snow-white waffle plant is an excellent addition to any indoor or outdoor garden. It provides colorful foliage that brightens up the space and provides good ground coverage. The plant is also relatively low maintenance and pest resistant, making it ideal for beginners.
Hopefully, this article has shed more light on how to plant and take care of the snow-white waffle plant and will help you navigate being a plant parent to a waffle plant.