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Syngonium 'White Butterfly'
| Family Name: | Araceae |
Syngonium 'White Butterfly' is an attractive housplant belonging to the arrowhead vine family. This cultivar's mature green leaves are arrowhead-shaped with white venation while the new shoots are heart-shaped with mostly white but green on the edges.
Name
Classifications and Characteristics
| Plant Division | Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon) |
|---|---|
| Plant Growth Form | Climber |
| Lifespan (in Singapore) | Perennial |
| Mode of Nutrition | Autotrophic |
| Plant Shape | Shrubby |
Biogeography
| Native Habitat | Terrestrial |
|---|---|
| Preferred Climate Zone | Tropical |
| Local Conservation Status | Non-native (Horticultural / Cultivated Only) |
Description and Ethnobotany
| Growth Form | A herbaceous climber, it climbs by means of its roots. |
|---|---|
| Foliage | The young leaves are sagittate in shape and become compound leaves, with 3 leaflets, eventually increasing from 5 to 9 leaflets when mature. The leaves exude a milky sap when broken. |
| Stems | The stems exude a milky sap when broken. |
| Flowers | The flowers are borne on a spadix, which originate from the leaf axils. |
| Fruit | The fruits are berries and turn reddish-orange when mature. |
| Habitat | It can be found growing in tropical and premontane wet forest and can be found growing from sea level to an altitude of 1000m. |
| Cultivation | It is best grown under semi-shade. It is best grown in fertile, well-drained and moist soils. It can also be grown in sandy or loamy soils, in slightly acidic conditions. |
Landscaping Features
| Landscaping | Commonly planted on flowerbed or in container planting for its ornamental foliage. Suitable as indoor plant. |
|---|---|
| Desirable Plant Features | Ornamental Foliage |
| Landscape Uses | Trellis / Arbour / Pergola, Interiorscape/ Indoor Plant |
| Usage Hazard - Cons | Invasive / Potentially Invasive |
| Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks | It is an invasive plant in Singapore, United States and South Africa. |
Plant Care and Propagation
| Light Preference | Semi-Shade, Full Shade |
|---|---|
| Water Preference | Lots of Water |
| Plant Growth Rate | Fast |
| Rootzone Tolerance | Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils, Fertile Loamy Soils |
| Propagation Method | Division, Stem Cutting |
Foliar
| Foliage Retention | Evergreen |
|---|---|
| Mature Foliage Colour(s) | Green, White |
| Mature Foliage Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Prominent Young Flush Colour(s) | Green, White |
| Young Flush Texture(s) | Smooth |
| Foliar Type | Simple / Unifoliate |
| Foliar Arrangement Along Stem | Alternate |
| Foliar Attachment to Stem | Petiolate |
| Foliar Shape(s) | Non-Palm Foliage (Sagittate, Cordate) |
| Foliar Venation | Pinnate / Net |
| Foliar Margin | Entire |
| Foliar Apex - Tip | Acute |
| Foliar Base | Sagittate, Cordate |
Image Repository
Others
| Master ID | 218 |
|---|---|
| Species ID | 1514 |
| Flora Disclaimer | The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes. |
