How Much Light Does a Polka Dot Plant Require?

In this guide, you can learn what kind of light a Polka Dot plant need, where to grow and care for this plant as well as the signs of Polka Dot plant lacking light! Bright and vibrant good light conditions are essential to keep a beautiful Polka Dot Plant with brilliantly colored and patterned leaves.

Light is a source of energy for the plants that helps the Polka Dot Plant in photosynthesis. If not given proper light, the plants may occur many problems including dry leaves, slow growth, legginess, scorched leaves, etc. But how can you determine if the lighting provided is appropriate for your Polka dot plant? 

What Kind of Light Does a Polka Dot Plant Require

Bright, indirect light will work best for Polka dot plant, which can keep the leaves' colors vibrant and prevent sunburn. Artificial light from grow lights can also work if you do not have a bright place you can put your plant in.

When given enough light, Polka dot plants can produce flowers. You can not stop your Polka Dot Plant from flowering. However, you can remove flowers once they emerge to prevent them from leggy growth and extend the plant life span. 

If you grow the polka dot plant in a low-light location, it will grow leggy quickly and fade in color. A location with light that’s too bright will also fade the foliage colors.

Where to Place a Polka Dot Plant (Indoors & Outdoors)

Grow Polka Dot Plant Indoors

If you grow polka dot plants indoors, make sure you place the pot in an area that gets bright indirect sunlight. Do not put the polka dot plant under direct sunlight.

A spot next to an unobstructed southern or eastern exposure window with morning light will provide a good amount of healthy sunlight. Light will lose some of its strength after it passes through windows, curtains, and other obstructions. So if the light is too strong, provide an obstruction for your Polka dot plant to soften the light it receives.

You can also grow the polka dot plant under full-spectrum lighting indoors.

When grown indoors, insufficient light is always the biggest problem. Keep reading on the section on how to determine polka dot plant lack of light and solutions. 

Grow Polka Dot Plant Outdoors

If growing polka dot plants outdoors, make sure you keep them out of the direct sunlight.

It is recommended to grow your polka dot plant in a larger pot on a shaded balcony or patio. Also, you can pick a planting site that’s not too bright or with some shade. Read More: Are Polka Dot Plants Toxic to Cats

If given too much light or strong light, the leaves will scorch and the foliage colors fade, lessening the plant's ornamental value. Here are solutions of how to fix a polka dot plant getting too much light.

Signs of Polka Dot Plant Lacking Light

Insufficient light will lead to many problems in polka dot plants. They will occur leggy growth and the leaves will have markedly fewer patterns. You might also notice that you lose the variegation in the leaves, and they turn light green. If you notice any of the following matters in your plants, there are chances that your plant is not getting sufficient light.

Wet Potting Soil Mix

Water added to potted plants is lost in two ways: through plant use and evaporation. Both processes require light and the heat it generates.

If the polka dot plant doesn’t get enough light, it creates a damp environment where the soil remains wet. If the plants grow in wet soil for long, it is easy to cause root rot, the most serve problem of plant growing.

Overwatering can also lead to wet soil, for mastering correct watering tips, please read How to Water Polka Dot Plant (Frequency, Amount, Ways & Solution)

Polka Dot Plant Leggy Growth

Leggy growth often refers to that a plant grows longers stems than usual. Polka Dot Plants that become leggy or floppy tend to fall over and grow fewer leaves, creating an untidy spindly appearance. Poor light is often the main reason for leggy Polka Dot plants. Under poor light conditions, the plant will grow longer stems quickly to ​​try to get closer to light, resulting in thin, fragile stems. 

Read Next: How to Fix a Leggy Polka Dot Plant (Reasons & Solutions)

Polka Dot Plant Slow Growth

Insufficient light will also slow down the growth of the polka dot plant. Light is the source of energy that allows the plants to perform the basic needs such as photosynthesis to get the energy they need. (Read More: How Long Do Polka Dot Plants Live)

Polka Dot Plant Leaves Fading

If a polka dot plant is getting inadequate lighting, it can cause the plant to lose its colors. Insufficient the plant deprives the nutrients needed for the plant's growth leading up to it losing its colors. You might also notice that you lose the variegation in the leaves, and they turn light green.

Polka Dot Plant Root Rot

It usually happens when you overwater a polka dot plant or don’t give it sufficient light. Root rot is a severe problem that can eventually kill plants. In the beginning, the leaves usually will  turn yellow and brown. Eventually, the leaves will fall off and the whole plant will die if not being processed in time. Depending on the extent of the damage, you can either re-pot or propagate Polka Dot Plant.

Solutions for Polka Dot Plant Lacking Light

Fortunately, a lack of light is a simple problem to solve. You can simply move the polka dot plant to a brighter location or use some ways to combat the low light conditions. 

Move to brighter Place

Take your time when moving your polka dot plant to a brighter location. As I mentioned before, there are some good places for growing polka dot plants no matter indoors or outdoors. In low-light indoor situations, you can also move your plants outside during the warmer months.

Use artificial light

Using artificial light is the easiest way to combat low light problems. Artificial lights provide light and energy to the plants. For your Polka dot plant, choose a grow light that is broad-spectrum, with a timer.

Besides providing extra light to your plants, these lights help the plants during the cold months when the temperature conditions remain low.

Reduce watering

In a low-light area, the soil takes to gets dry. Therefore, you should reduce the watering of the polka dot plant.

Apply Extra Fertilizer

Insufficient light will lead to a lack of nutrients for polka dot plant growth. At this time, applying extra fertilizer will provide nutrients to the soil so that they get the nutrition they need. They benefit from being fed once a month in low-light conditions.

Signs of Polka Dot Plant Getting too Much Light

If the Polka Dot plant is getting direct sunlight and too much light, the soil will dry out too quickly and the leaves will burn. Keep an eye out for the following signs, particularly in recently relocated plants. 

Scorched Leaves/Yellow Leaves

Polka Dot Plant leaf scorch can appear as leaf spots or a burn along the margin of the leaf. Sun damage usually shows up as yellowing of the whole leaf or even scorched spots on the leaves

Polka Dot Plant Shriveling

Polka Dot Plant's shriveling sign indicates that it has been overheated and overworked! A shriveled Polka Dot Plant has either used that water to cool itself or has run out due to excessive photosynthesis. 
Not only will it need to be relocated to a cooler, more shady location, but it will also require thorough watering.

Solutions for Polka Dot Plant Getting too Much Light

Again, this is a problem that is easy to solve. If you notice any of these signs, you need to move them to another place with lower light or use some filters like sheer curtains or blinds. And give your Polka dot plants a thorough watering. Meanwhile, prune the yellow and dying leaves so that more nutrients will supply to the other healthy parts

FAQs

Do Polka Dot Plants Need Full Sun?

Hypoestes grows best in bright, filtered light, but tolerates some sun. Partial shade is preferable to full sun for the plants' color, but very low light also causes the leaves to lose their color.

Can Polka Dot Grow in Low Light?

In an area with good or moderate lighting, cultivate polka dot plant. It doesn't mind a little direct sunlight on its foliage and can handle bright areas of darkness indoors. Polka dot plant tolerates low light fairly well, too, but we don't recommend growing it in low-light spots for extended periods because it can grow tall and lanky.