# Arrowhead plant (Syngonium podophyllum)

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/plants/arrowhead-plant · Updated: 2026-10-07
Source: Plant Guide (https://plantguide.ae/plants/arrowhead-plant)

Arrowhead plant · also called Syngonium, Arrowhead vine, Nephthytis  
indoor · exotic · family Araceae · grows 0.2–1.8 m tall, 0.2–0.6 m wide · moderate growth  
part shade · moderate water need  
Ratings for Dubai (1–5, 5 is best): heat 1 · salt 1 · drought 2 · shade 4 · ease of care 4  
Sow or plant: Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov  
Uses: indoor, container, climber

An adaptable foliage plant with arrow-shaped leaves in green, cream or pink. It copes with ordinary rooms and bright shade, wants even moisture, and is toxic to cats and dogs.

## About

Meet the arrowhead plant, which changes its mind as it grows. Young plants are bushy, with neat arrow-shaped leaves, some with silvery or pink markings. As a plant matures and climbs, NC State says the leaves turn longer and narrower and eventually split into five to eleven lobes, like a foot with toes.

In a Dubai home you mostly see the young, bushy stage. NC State suggests cutting off the stems as they start to run to keep a shrubby shape; give it a moss pole instead and it climbs on aerial roots, with bigger, more divided leaves.

It is a cheap, easy plant, from about AED 35 at Acacia, and it likes the same bright, filtered light as most foliage plants. Keep it away from hot sun and vent air and it is rarely any trouble. Keep it away from cats and dogs, too.

Syngonium podophyllum, the arrowhead plant, is an aroid (Araceae) native to a wide range from Mexico through Central America to South America. NC State gives 0.9 to 1.8 metres in height and 0.3 to 0.6 metres in width, and the RHS gives up to 2.5 metres. Young leaves are arrowhead-shaped, up to 14 centimetres, and can be silvery or pink; the stems climb by aerial roots, and a climbing plant develops longer, lobed adult leaves.

The RHS says green types grow in bright, indirect light and variegated cultivars need bright, filtered light; NC State says to avoid full sun, which burns or bleaches the foliage. The RHS gives a minimum winter temperature of 15°C, which most air-conditioned rooms stay above.

Keep the mix evenly moist and well drained (NC State, RHS), watering freely while it grows and less in winter. NC State says it prefers a warm setting with high humidity, so dry AC air is its weak point, and it lists aphids, mealybugs and spider mites as the pests. The RHS also lists mealybugs and red spider mite when grown indoors.

The ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats, dogs and horses because of insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, and the RHS says it is harmful if eaten and that the sap irritates skin and eyes, so wear gloves when cutting. NC State records it as weedy outside its native range, which is one more reason to keep it in a pot indoors.

## Indoors in Dubai

- **Light:** grows well in medium–bright indirect light. Bright, filtered light suits it, and green types take dimmer spots than variegated ones (RHS). Direct sun burns or bleaches the leaves, so keep it out of hot west and south sun through glass.
- **Dry air and air conditioning:** tolerance 3 out of 5 (1 = needs humidity help, 5 = indifferent). It prefers high humidity (NC State), so dry AC air is its weak point. Keep it out of the vent airflow, try a damp-pebble saucer, and rinse the leaves now and then to deter spider mites.
- **Pets:** not pet-safe: keep it out of reach of cats and dogs.
- **Size:** tabletop.
- **Rooms:** living room, bedroom, home office, bathroom, kitchen.
- **Finding it in Dubai:** common: most garden centres and supermarkets stock it.
- **Outdoors:** never: keep it indoors all year.

## Through the year

Arrowhead stays evergreen indoors, so its calendar is about pace. From March to October it makes most of its new growth: that is when to feed every three to four weeks (RHS) and to pinch back stems that start to run (NC State). In June to September keep it out of hot west sun and the vent airflow, and look for spider mites. From December to February water less often, as the RHS advises, and do not let it stand in cold, wet mix.

| When | What | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Feb–Apr, Oct–Nov | Plant: Buy and pot up | Autumn and spring, when a plant is not carried home through 45°C heat. |
| Mar–Oct | New growth: Most active growth | The RHS says to water freely when it is in growth. |
| Apr–Oct | Feed: Regular feed | A balanced liquid feed every three or four weeks while growing (RHS). |
| Apr–Sep | Prune: Pinch back the tips | NC State says to cut stems as they start to run; the cuttings root. |
| Apr–Sep | Pest watch: Spider mites and mealybugs | Dry air favours mites; rinse the leaves and check the undersides. |
| Jun–Sep | Heat stress: Hot glass and dry air | Keep it out of direct sun and the vent airflow. |
| Dec–Feb | Dormant: Water less | The RHS says to reduce watering in winter. |

## Care in Dubai

- **Watering in summer:** Keep the mix evenly moist but well drained (NC State, RHS), watering when the top couple of centimetres have dried. Flush the pot every four to six months with at least twice its volume of water to clear salts (University of Maryland).
- **Watering in winter:** Water less often (RHS), and do not let it stand in cold, wet mix.
- **Soil:** A houseplant compost that stays moist but drains freely (RHS). Use a pot with drainage holes.
- **Feeding:** A balanced liquid fertiliser every three or four weeks while it is actively growing (RHS), roughly April to October.
- **Pruning:** NC State says to cut off the stems as they start to develop to keep a shrub-like habit. Wear gloves: the sap irritates skin and eyes (RHS).
- **Planting:** Repot every few years, trimming roots to keep it manageable (NC State). Offer a moss pole if you want a climber with larger, lobed leaves.
- **Pests and problems:** Aphids; Mealybugs; Spider mites
- **Toxicity:** Toxic to dogs, cats and horses, according to the ASPCA (listed as arrow-head vine): insoluble calcium oxalates cause oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing if chewed. The RHS adds that the sap can irritate skin and eyes.

## Good and bad

**Pros**
- Cheap and easy to find, from about AED 35 for a 15 to 20 cm plant
- Grows in bright shade and filtered light, so it suits rooms behind tinted glass
- Green, cream and pink-leaved types brighten a dull corner
- Pinching the stems keeps it bushy, and stem cuttings root (NC State)

**Cons**
- Toxic to cats, dogs and horses if chewed (ASPCA)
- Prefers high humidity; dry AC air is its weak point (NC State)
- Scorches or bleaches in direct sun, including hot sun through glass
- Turns leggy and vine-like as it ages unless pinched back
- Aphids, mealybugs and spider mites all like it

## Common mistakes

- Placing it in direct sun for faster growth. NC State says full sun burns or bleaches the foliage; keep it in bright, filtered light.
- Putting a variegated type in the dim corner. The RHS says variegated cultivars need bright, filtered light.
- Letting it dry out hard, or sit wet. NC State wants even moisture and good drainage.
- Parking it in the vent airflow. It likes high humidity (NC State), and dry air favours spider mites.
- Leaving trailing stems within reach of pets. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats, dogs and horses.

## Good to know

- The ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats, dogs and horses: insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue and lips, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
- Leaf shape changes with age: young leaves are arrowhead-shaped, and the adult leaves of a climbing plant are longer and divided into five to eleven leaflets (NC State).
- NC State records it as weedy outside its native range, so keep it in a pot indoors rather than planting it loose outdoors.
- Prices seen on 7 October 2026: Acacia Garden Center lists arrowhead plants from AED 35, with larger sizes costing more.

## Using it in a garden

Roles: Desk or shelf plant, Bright-shade corner, Bedroom or bathroom with a window, Climbing accent (moss pole)

Arrowhead is a good first plant for a shelf, desk or sideboard where light is bright but filtered: an east window, or a metre or so from tinted glass. Pinch it to keep a bushy mound, or give it a moss pole to climb. A bathroom with a window gives slightly moister air, which it prefers. Keep it out of direct sun and the vent airflow, and out of reach of a cat or dog.

- [Pothos](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pothos.md): Pothos trails where arrowhead mounds, and both handle the same bright, filtered shelf; both are toxic to pets, so keep them out of reach.
- [Peace lily](https://plantguide.ae/plants/peace-lily.md): Peace lily's upright, glossy leaves and white spathes rise above arrowhead's mound, and the two aroids have similar moisture needs.
- [Calathea](https://plantguide.ae/plants/calathea.md): Calathea's patterned leaves make a contrast of pattern against arrowhead's arrow shapes, and both prefer moister air, so they suit the same bathroom or bright shelf.

## FAQ

**Does an arrowhead plant need a lot of light?**  
No. The RHS says bright, indirect light for green types and bright, filtered light for variegated ones. NC State says dappled sun or partial shade, and that full sun burns or bleaches the leaves.

**Why has my arrowhead gone leggy?**  
As it matures it turns from a bushy plant into a climbing vine (NC State). Pinch the stems as they start to run, move variegated types closer to filtered light, and root the cuttings.

**Is arrowhead plant safe for cats and dogs?**  
No. The ASPCA lists it as toxic to cats, dogs and horses. Chewing it causes mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting, so keep it out of reach.

**How often should I water it?**  
When the top couple of centimetres have dried, keeping the mix evenly moist but never soggy (NC State, RHS), and less often in winter. Check two inches down rather than following a calendar.

**Will it climb?**  
Yes. NC State says it develops as a vine with aerial roots on its stems. Give it a moss pole for larger, divided leaves, or pinch it to keep a bushy shape.

## Related plants

[Pothos](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pothos.md) · [Philodendron](https://plantguide.ae/plants/philodendron.md) · [Peace lily](https://plantguide.ae/plants/peace-lily.md) · [Calathea](https://plantguide.ae/plants/calathea.md)

## Photos

![Syngonium podophyllum (Arrowhead plant, nephthytis) Leaves at Honolua Lipoa Point, Maui, Hawaii. April 21, 2018 #1804...](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/28/Starr-180421-0790-Syngonium_podophyllum-leaves-Honolua_Lipoa_Point-Maui_%2843459251981%29.jpg)  
Photo: Forest and Kim Starr / CC BY 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr-180421-0790-Syngonium_podophyllum-leaves-Honolua_Lipoa_Point-Maui_(43459251981).jpg))

![Arrowhead vine (Syngonium podophyllum) and Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) growing in a home garden in Ke...](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Arrowhead_vine_and_Madagascar_periwinkle_in_Kerala.jpg)  
Photo: Clintacc / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arrowhead_vine_and_Madagascar_periwinkle_in_Kerala.jpg))

## Sources

- [NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Syngonium podophyllum](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/syngonium-podophyllum/)
- [RHS: Syngonium podophyllum](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/17899/syngonium-podophyllum/details)
- [ASPCA: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants, Arrow-Head Vine](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/arrow-head-vine)
- [University of Maryland Extension: Watering indoor plants](https://extension.umd.edu/resource/watering-indoor-plants)
- [Acacia Garden Center: indoor plants collection (price checked 7 October 2026)](https://acaciagardencenter.com/collections/indoor-plants)