Effect of Fertilizer, Temperature, and Light Level on Growth of Syngonium podophyllum ‘White Butterfly’

Abstract

Abstract The effect of fertilizer level (1.2-41.3 g Osmocote 19N-2.6P-10K per 15-cm pot) was tested in factorial experiments with air temperature [13.5° to 21°C (winter) or 32° to 41° (summer)] and light level (47-80% shade) on Syngonium podophyllum Schott ‘White Butterfly’. Optimal shoot growth was obtained for plants fertilized with 4.9 to 19.5 g Osmocote per 15-cm pot for 3 months under greenhouse conditions during the summer and winter (recommended rate is about 5.0 g). Slight reductions in plant growth occurred at higher rates. Interactions between fertilizer level and air temperature were rarely significant. Optimal shoot growth was obtained for plants with a maximum air temperature between 32° and 41° during the summer and a minimum air temperature of 18.5° and 21° during the winter. High-quality plants were produced with fertilizer rates from 4.9 to 34.0 g per 15-cm pot for 3 months under shadehouse conditions. Plants grown with 200 μmol·s-1·m-2 (80% shade) had fewer leaves, were taller, whiter (color), had lower-quality grades, lower fresh weight of shoots, higher percentage of pots with healthy-appearing roots, and produced larger leaves than those grown with 700 μmol·s-1·m-2 light (47% shade). Interactions between fertilizer and light levels were not significant.