How to Care for the Nephthytis Plant

One plant that will provide beautiful foliage in spite of occasional neglect is nephthytis, also known as the arrowhead philodendron or arrowhead vine. With its red-veined, arrow-shaped foliage, nephthytis is a distinctive houseplant that can grow and thrive for many years.

Put nephthytis in indirect sunlight, if possible, but avoid intense, direct sunlight. If the light is bright enough to read a newspaper, it's bright enough for nephthytis

Water nephthytis lightly once a week. Don't worry if the leaves get a bit wilted during hot weather, because they will bounce back with a little water. Feed nephthytis a water-soluble houseplant fertilizer twice a month, according to the directions on the label.

As nephthytis matures, install a trellis or a stake for it to climb on. Nephthytis is a slow grower, so you won't need to worry about this for at least a year. If the plant gets bigger than you like, cut back the stems.

Trim nephithytis if you prefer that it stay compact. If you want, put the cuttings in a jar of water to grow new plants.