Plant Care Strobilanthes Alternata

Strobilanthes Alternata

4.2 out of 5 (32 experiences)

Strobilanthes Alternata has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower
Strobilanthes Alternata has a Survivor plant personality Survivor

Also known as

Waffle Plant, Waffle Plant, Red-Flame Ivy, Red Ivy and Hemigraphis alternata

Taxonomy

Strobilanthes alternata
Strobilanthes
Acanthaceae
Lamiales

How to care for Strobilanthes Alternata

💦 Water

How often to water your Strobilanthes Alternata

Water needs for Strobilanthes Alternata
0.5 cups
every 9

Strobilanthes Alternata needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Strobilanthes Alternata

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Waffle Plant in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Strobilanthes Alternata: 3ft from a window
3ft or less from
a window

Strobilanthes Alternata may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Strobilanthes Alternata in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Strobilanthes Alternata

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Strobilanthes Alternata: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Strobilanthes Alternata after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #WafflePlant
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Strobilanthes Alternata is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

Benefits of Growing Waffle Plant →

Common Waffle Plant Problems →


💦 Water Needs

Strobilanthes Alternata prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Waffle Plant Water Frequency →

Waffle Plant Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Strobilanthes Alternata may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Waffle Plant Light Requirements →

Waffle Plant Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Strobilanthes Alternata is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.


💨 Humidity

Strobilanthes Alternata doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

Waffle Plant Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Strobilanthes Alternata does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

When and How to Successfully Repot Waffle Plant →


💩 Fertilizer

Strobilanthes Alternata should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Waffle Plant →


🌎 Native Region

Strobilanthes Alternata is native to Asia and Madagascar.


🌸 Flowers

Yes, you may see your Strobilanthes Alternata bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Strobilanthes Alternata grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

How and When to Prune Waffle Plant →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Strobilanthes Alternata can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Waffle Plant Temperature Tolerance →


🌱 Propagation

Strobilanthes Alternata can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

  • Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
  • To get the cutting to root, you can either:
    • Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Waffle Plant →


🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Strobilanthes Alternata, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Strobilanthes Alternata

Strobilanthes Alternata

Strobilanthes Alternata


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Strobilanthes Alternata has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 12
Strobilanthes Alternata has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 10
Strobilanthes Alternata has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 5
Strobilanthes Alternata has a Blooms easily plant personality Blooms easily 4
Strobilanthes Alternata has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 4
Strobilanthes Alternata has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 1
@asslynn avatar
@@asslynn
leaf-1 25 Plants
xp 2,614 XP
globe Dallas, TX
11/28/2021

It’s a pretty easy plant to care for. I was having problems at first with it fainting every couple days so I’ve started bottom watering and it’s doing a lot better. Definitely keep the soil moist.

@Smstanley avatar
@@Smstanley
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 56 XP
globe Pineville, LA
11/16/2021

Grows fast, low maintenance but must water if it starts drooping

Fast grower Fast grower
@Sundust avatar
@@Sundust
leaf-1 21 Plants
xp 1,545 XP
10/26/2021

Beautiful plant and hardy so far.

Fast grower Fast grower
Blooms easily Blooms easily
@PlantyGoddess avatar
@@PlantyGoddess
leaf-1 109 Plants
xp 9,648 XP
globe Woolwich Township, NJ
10/24/2021

Probably the cutest yet funny experience I’ve had. I waited to water a few days longer than usual and she just collapsed and fainted. At first I’m like really is this possible I killed this plant by a few days?!?! Well I bottom watered her overnight and all is well. She’s just a little bit dramatic. Lol

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
@Cassrose avatar
@@Cassrose
leaf-1 51 Plants
xp 1,155 XP
globe New York
09/26/2021

Super easy to handle doesn’t require much work or attention.

Jo avatar
@Jo
leaf-1 14 Plants
xp 170 XP
globe Wolfeboro, NH
09/11/2021

Not a fast grower. Keep moist

Survivor Survivor
@Swellsquid768 avatar
@@Swellsquid768
leaf-1 90 Plants
xp 2,063 XP
08/05/2021

My cat keeps trying to eat it and it just keeps living

Survivor Survivor
@saysay270 avatar
@@saysay270
leaf-1 1 Plants
xp 41 XP
globe Clearwater, FL
07/05/2021

doug has survived abt a week with me and hasn’t died yet. easy and pretty like his plant momma

Survivor Survivor
@GatherandGrow avatar
@@GatherandGrow
leaf-1 157 Plants
xp 104,876 XP
globe Lincoln, NE
06/09/2021

I just repotted her she has grown so much and her roots were bursting out of the pot! She is so beautiful and I love the purple underside of her leaves!

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@jennalynnhen avatar
@@jennalynnhen
leaf-1 10 Plants
xp 613 XP
globe Minneapolis, MN
05/25/2021

Super easy to propagate, big drama Queen. Will look completely fallen over and dead when it wants water.

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@egotopia avatar
@@egotopia
leaf-1 66 Plants
xp 9,716 XP
globe Jacksonville, FL
05/17/2021

This plant does better in humidity levels higher than 50%. It should be placed somewhere bright or the stems will get leggy. This is one of those plants that faints when it’s thirsty but always bounces back.

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
Browns easily Browns easily
@gillysplants avatar
@@gillysplants
leaf-1 25 Plants
xp 2,096 XP
globe Beaverton, OR
04/18/2021

I got this plant and was hoping to save it because it wasn’t treated properly before. It was super droopy and brown, but with water and sun all day it looked amazing, so that was super cool

Survivor Survivor
Blooms easily Blooms easily
Browns easily Browns easily

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