Syngonium podophyllum
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- sin-GO-nee-um po-do-FIL-um
- This plant has medium severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Evergreen tropical perennial shrub to 16 in, climbing to 2 m. Desired in interior settings for its low-maintenance, green or variegated, long-petioled leaves and bush-like habit with some cascading stems; blooms are rare in interiors; juvenile form has arrow-shaped leaves and adult form has palmately divided leaves with 3-11 segments, there are also lobed leaves representing a transition from juvenile to adult stage; juvenile forms are usually sold; used as hanging basket, ground cover, climber, or small shrub.
Quick ID
- Juvenile leaf arrowhead-shaped, adult leaf lobed
- Leaves have long petioles, are subpeltate
- Bush-like habit with some climbing or trailing stems
This plant will cause severe pain in the mouth if eaten.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Syngonium
- Species:
- podophyllum
- Family:
- Araceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South America to Mexico
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Herb
- Houseplant
- Perennial
- Poisonous
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- Fruit is a cluster of round berries.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spadix
- Flower Description:
- Inflorescence is a spathe cluster, axillary, spadix shorter than spathe; spathes overlap to form boat-shaped tube, green to yellow and white, sometimes marked with red or purple.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Juvenile leaves alternate, simple, saggitate, acute to acuminate, and entire. They are dark green above, paler green beneath; intermediate leaves 3-lobed, median segments constricted at base, basal segment triangular. Adult leaves are pedatisect, segments 3-11, confluent to free, median segment obovate to elliptic, acuminate, lowermost segment auriculate, dark green above and paler beneath. Petioles are long, green to reddish-green, subpeltate, sheathing at base.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Stems are succulent, green, climbing, with adventitious roots.
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Landscape:
- Problems:
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Medium
- Poison Symptoms:
- Oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue, and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting (not horses), difficulty swallowing
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Calcium oxalate crystals
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Flowers
- Leaves
- Roots
- Sap/Juice
- Seeds
- Stems
