Syngonium chiapense

While this plant is typically thought of as a houseplant, we have trialed it outdoors in our coastal California and it's performed so admirably that we are now offering it as an outdoor garden plant! We've grown it in San Francisco, Oakland, northern San Diego County, and in Venice, California.

This is a RARE plant! We are excited about the plant because there is really nothing else quite like it for coastal gardens.

It is a that vine loves climbing up palms, trees and fences. If the structure is also watered this plant will attach robustly and grow more vigorously. The size here is given as a grounded foliage feature, but it will (with time) grow taller given a structure to grow on.

This plant thrives in frost free areas. It may also be grown in gardens that receive light frosts, if it is protected by the canopy of a tree or grown in a covered entryway.

Fertilize during the summer growing season.

Isn't this really a houseplant? Well that's a tricky question. In general this type of plant makes a great houseplant, but this specific plant hasn't been grown to be a houseplant. Houseplants are grown under regulated conditions and with sterile soil, setting them up to thrive in your home. When outdoor-grown plants are taken indoors, they tend to transition poorly, often becoming magnets for pests. That said, if you decide to live dangerously and bring this plant indoors, here's some advice to help you out. Start by unpotting the plant and removing any loose soil. Next, preemptively treat the entire plant, including the roots, with an insecticidal soap. Be sure to treat the roots gently throughout this process. Use a new nursery can or sterilize the previous one with bleach. Repot the plant in a fresh mix and then water deeply with the insecticidal soap mix. Be sure to keep an extra close eye out for any pests that might pop up. Always consider the risk of introducing pests to your other houseplants.