Syngonium podophyllum (Latin name: Syngonium podophyllum), also known as arrowhead taro, long-handled taro, purple stem taro and silk fibroin vine, belongs to Syngonium of Araceae. Fruit taro has beautiful plant shape, changeable leaf shape and elegant color. It is known as the representative of indoor foliage plants in Araceae together with green radish and Vitex negundo. It is also a very popular indoor hanging basin decoration material in Europe and America.

Fruit taro is a perennial evergreen herb of Araceae, which has strong creeping property and frequent aerial rooting at nodes. There are long stalks on the leaves, which are triangular and shield-shaped, the veins and their surroundings are yellow and white, the roots are fleshy, the stems have aerial roots, and the tendrils are thick. The same cultivated varieties are yellow taro and Li Bai taro, both of which have changeable leaves and beautiful colors, which are very suitable for indoor potted viewing. Young leaves are halberd-shaped, mature leaves are 5-9-lobed, and leaves are green with white stripes. Tropical rainforests originating in Central America and South America like warm, humid and semi-cool environments, and should grow in loose, fertile and well-drained sandy soil.

How to raise fruit taro?

Fruit taro has a strong adaptability to light. In bright light, the leaves are bigger and lighter. Under the condition of semi-shading, the leaves become smaller and darker. However, under the condition of long-term weak light, the stems and petioles are elongated, the plant shape is loose and the leaves become smaller. Rich, loose and well-drained sandy loam is suitable for this kind of soil. Potted soil is a mixture of humus soil, peat soil and coarse sand. At the same time, fruit taro is also very suitable for soilless culture.

Fruit taro requires high water content, so we should master the principle of "wet but not dry" when watering all year round, and often spray water to keep the surrounding environment moist, which is not only conducive to growth, but also makes the leaves bright and full of vitality. Fruit taro likes high air humidity and needs to be sprayed with water 2~3 times a day in dry season and summer.

Fertilize 1 time every half month during the growth period or use high nitrate potassium fertilizer to promote the vigorous growth of plants and more branches. If you don't need to grow too fast indoors, you should apply less fertilizer. Apply thin fertilizer once from May to September or adopt soilless culture, and pour nutrient solution every 10~ 14 days. Fertilize 2-3 times a month in the growing season, and use manure or chemical fertilizer. The application of alkaline fertilizer water should be avoided in the northern region, and alum fertilizer water should be applied regularly or a small amount of ferrous sulfate solution should be added to the fertilizer water.

Pots of 10 ~ 15 cm and18 cm can be used for hanging cultivation. When cultivated outdoors, stems and vines should not be left too long to avoid strong winds. In summer, stems and leaves grow rapidly, and potted plants need pruning and shaping. In hanging pot cultivation, stems and vines are drooping, too long or too dense, which need pruning and shaping to maintain a beautiful plant state. Adult plants can be regenerated by cutting again when changing pots in spring. Indoor maintenance in winter, don't let the pot soil get too wet, otherwise it will cause root rot death or yellow leaves falling off, which will affect the ornamental value.