How to Grow an Arrowhead Vine Indoors

It’s not rocket science to care for your arrowhead plant, but having a cheat sheet for care and troubleshooting any issues that may crop up is still invaluable.

The arrowhead vine is from the Araceae family of plants, so it’s related to the philodendron and pothos, two other trendy houseplants. There are approximately 120 varieties of arrowheads, and here are the most popular ones:

Photo by Denine

Photo by Denine

Photo by Denine

Curious to learn about the other arrowhead vine varieties? Here are some of the prettiest ones:

Before rushing out to buy the first arrowhead plant you can find, it’s helpful to know a little about the plant to determine whether it’s suitable for your home.

In the wild, the arrowhead vine grows epiphytically. It starts as a bushy tree growth before developing vines that creep along the tree stem and branches in search of light, creating a much larger vining plant. The arrowhead plant is resilient and develops uniquely colored leaves, variegations, and different growth shapes based on genetics and the light quality in the planted space.

I moved my arrowhead vine to my office when I discovered that the arrowhead is ideal for business settings, financial prosperity, and luck in Feng Shui. However, it also thrives in a bedroom and is an excellent air purifier.

Your arrowhead vine can grow in pots, baskets, and on shelves. It’s ideal for bathrooms with bright light and extra humidity. It also thrives on verandas in warm climates, but you should ensure it avoids direct all-day sun that can burn the leaves.

You’ve got the handy cheat sheet above, but since I would like to know a little more about the care for my plants, here’s some more in-depth information to help your arrowhead vine thrive.

Arrowhead plants thrive in well-draining soil, which prevents root rot and waterlogging. It’s used in slightly acidic soil and orchid potting mix. You can add some soil and perlite to this.

The planter needs to be large enough to accommodate the root ball with an inch of space around it. Ensure the planter has large drainage holes to prevent soil saturation.

For the vining stages of the arrowhead, it’s essential to provide a sturdy trellis that can support and train the vines into the shape you desire. High-quality bamboo trellises are ideal as they are naturally water-repellent and won’t rot in the high-humidity environment among the arrowhead leaves.

Your arrowhead can also grow in water only. Use a clear container with enough water to accommodate all the roots and liquid fertilizer, and change the water frequently.

Warning: Avoid harsh and direct sunlight, as it burns the leaves.

Place your arrowhead in bright, indirect sunlight to stimulate the variegation genes and produce lighter-colored leaves for varieties like the arrowhead white butterfly. The arrowhead can survive in low light, but the leaves will be a uniform green color. North-facing windows are best if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, but ensure you use a sheer curtain to help filter direct light.

Mimic tropical watering conditions with “drenching” sessions for watering, but let the soil almost dry out between sessions. In a pot, overwatering will lead to root rot.

Check that the plant is dry enough before watering by sticking your finger into the soil near the base of the plant. If it’s dry to the first two knuckles, it’s time to water.

Drier soil is better than wet soil, so I would hold back one more day before watering.

While your arrowhead hates being constantly soaked, it does love humidity. Kitchens and bathrooms are ideal places for the arrowhead as the humidity is quite high, but in other areas, you may need to use a humidifier or place a tray with rocks and water beneath the plant (but don’t let the drainage holes touch the water).

Mist the leaves with lukewarm water and avoid strong drafts. Aim for a humidity level of 40-60%, which is also an excellent indoor humidity level.

Liquid fertilizers for tropical house plants are ideal, and you can give the plant a good dose in the warmer months but cut back by half in winter or halt winter feeding altogether. Depending on your arrowhead’s size, you can fertilize it every two weeks during the growing season, but less is more.

You can leave the arrowhead plant to grow, but regular pruning helps it stay healthy and in shape and encourages growth. Preparing your pruning shears is also essential if the leaves have discolored or the plant is infested with pests or diseases.

Ideally, you want to prune during the plant’s growing seasons in spring and summer.

Follow these steps to prune your arrowhead vine:

• Examine the plant before you start cutting away at the stems.
• Plan how you want to shape your arrowhead. If you want it to be dense, compact, and bushy, prune any leggy stems, but if you want it to trail or climb, the stems need to grow, and you can support them with plant trellises or other structures. Also, never remove more than 25% to a third of the plant.
• Disinfect the pruning shears, scissors, or knife with rubbing or isopropyl alcohol.
• Wear gloves, as the sap from the arrowhead can cause skin irritation.
• For a clean cut, pinch the stem with your fingers and prune the stem just above the lead node.

Most arrowhead plants will come in a sufficiently large planter to accommodate the first year of growth when you purchase them. Still, repotting and planting may be needed within the first year and every year after that to accommodate the growing roots.

Repot the arrowhead each year for a bigger vine, and you can also replace the potting media with a fresh mix in spring to further boost growth. Without frequent repotting, your arrowhead plant will quickly become rootbound. Since the arrowhead prefers a drier potting mix, a terracotta planter will help dry the soil better.

To repot your arrowhead:

1. Select the right-sized pot with suitable drainage holes and allow an inch of space on either side of the rootball.

2. Repot in spring to use the active growth season as transplant stress will be lessened.

3. Fill the new container with potting mix to a third full, and then squeeze the sides of the old container to loosen the roots before taking hold of the plant near the stem crown. Remove and examine the plant once it is free of the old pot.

Cut away any dead or damaged leaves and roots. Shake off any excess soil from the old potting mix. Place the arrowhead in the new pot, fill it up with a new potting mix, and gently pat it into place with your fingers.

4. Water thoroughly and set aside to drain. Ensure the pot doesn’t stand on the same level as the draining water so the drainage holes remain free. Water as usual from there on, and fertilize monthly.

To propagate your arrowhead vine, or create multiple or new plants from an existing plant, you will follow similar principles to repotting with a few differences. An easy way to propagate is to split the old plant and ensure the new section has sufficient root growth, before planting the cutting in a prepared pot.

However, if you have a smaller arrowhead vine you can’t cut into two, you can always use a stem cutting, a six-inch piece of stem with two leaf nodes that you cut from the main plant.

Place the cutting in water and leave it for 2 to 4 weeks to develop roots. To help the process, you can dip the cutting in the rooting hormone, but usually, the stem will root on its own. Keep the cutting in bright, indirect sunlight, and add water as needed.

Once the stem has roots, plant the cutting in a prepared pot or water well and continue watering and fertilizing as usual. I like adding a simple bamboo trellis to help keep the cutting upright and assist the roots when I plant the cutting. The trellis also helps to train the first couple of leaves and vines as these form.

I have a couple of arrowhead vines, and while some are trained to be bushy, others have lush vines that I craft into shapes and junglescapes to explore. It’s all about a consistent approach and a clear plan.

To create a bushy arrowhead, I regularly nip new growth, which means the plant puts more energy into developing large leaves than new vines. If I want to train the vines to grow into shapes, I use supports like trellises and posts to provide a structure the vines can grow on and through.

I wait until a length of the vine has formed on the main plant and then use a florist’s string to guide the vine toward the trellis. I may weave the vine through the trellis if it's long enough. Wall-mounted trellises behind my main plant also allow me to grow lines and patterns on the wall with the arrowhead vines.

An arrowhead houseplant can be prone to various pests and diseases. The best “cure” is always prevention, but if you find a pest infestation or disease, here’s a quick troubleshooting guide to help.