Syngonium “pink allusion” is a tropical vine with dramatic arrow-shaped leaves. Even more dramatic are their variety in color and pattern, with this particular kind featuring bright pink veins against a lighter green leaf. It is a sought after plant many horticultural enthusiasts would like to add to their collection. They are a beautiful plant that is also relatively easy to take care of, making this a good plant for beginners and hobbyists alike to grow and enjoy. We will go through how to propagate and care for your Syngonium “Pink Allusion” as well as how to tell them apart from similar varieties.
Contents
How to Care for Syngonium “Pink Allusion”
Lighting
Plants in the Syngonium genus are tropical, vining plants which are used to receiving dappled light throughout the day, never receiving direct sunlight. For the best results in maintaining the sought-after variegation in your plant you will want to give your plant bright, indirect light. For instance, if you have a bright, south facing window your “pink allusion” would appreciate being a few feet away from the window towards the interior of the room. This gives your plant bright light without having direct exposure to the sun’s powerful rays. Your plant can tolerate low-light to shade conditions but this will affect your plant’s variegation pattern and you may have new growth revert back to a more plain state of appearance.
Soil
These plants are typically not picky with what type of potting mix they are in as long as it is well-draining, which means it won’t hold onto excess soil as some soil additives like moss would. As always, well-draining soil is meaningless if your pot does not have any drainage holes. At least one drainage hole would be sufficient to allow for water to exit the pot. You want to avoid having your plant sit in water with “wet feet” as this can create an environment for bacteria and fungi to thrive, which can ultimately be detrimental to your plant’s health.
Water and Humidity
Water your plant regularly throughout the growing season when the top inch or two of your soil is dry. Make sure you are watering enough to where water is running out of the drainage hole. Allow your plant to drip dry before placing it back in a decorative pot or saucer to avoid keeping your plant in contact with standing water. During the winter your plant will not need frequent watering and can wait until about 50% of the soil is dry before needing a good soak. This plant is used to humid environments, so the more tropical you can make its atmosphere the happier it will be, and the better it will look. You can invest in a humidifier to have a reliable and constant source of humidity, or you can mist your plant. If you have a nice bright spot in your bathroom that is out of direct light, this might make for an ideal home for your Syngonium “Pink allusion”. Protect your plant from the elements: frost, direct sunlight, and drafts. Keep your plant away from air vents.
Fertilizing
Fertilize your plant during the growing season once or twice a month with a fertilizer diluted to half strength. During the winter season you can fertilize once a month or every other month. Your plant will show signs of nutrient burn if you fertilize at too high a concentration: this can include yellowing or browning of the leaves and leaf tips as well as defoliation or withering.
Potting
Syngonium plants naturally are vining, climbing plants. To encourage this you can set your plant up with a moss pole or a trellis of sorts, or up against a wall or column and train the vine along as you’d like. A hanging basket would display its trailing foliage well, too. As long as your plant is in a place with the right conditions, it will take on a mind of its own, and you will have to prune it back unless you don’t mind it going wild. To prune this plant, cut about ¼ inch above a node with sharp and sterile scissors. New growth will emerge from the node and cause your plant to grow bushier and wider.
How to propagate your Syngonium “Pink Allusion”
Syngoniums are easily propagated plants because of their quick-growing nature and vining growth habit. You can propagate your cuttings in water or in a potting medium, each with similar success rate and ease.
When you are taking a cutting, make sure your plant is in a healthy enough state. This means your plant is free of disease, pests, and stress. Avoid taking cuttings from your plant during the winter because this is a dormant period for your plant and it will be more stressful to remove segments unless absolutely necessary.
Pick a section with at least 1-2 leaves that you will want as your cutting for your new plant. It is recommended to take at least 3 to 6 cuttings because not all will always be successful, even coming from a healthy mother plant. Using sharp and clean scissors or shears, cut at around a 45º angle slightly below the node. The node will be the center where roots will be produced by your plant when given the proper conditions, such as water or soil. Leave a slight amount of stem under the node to help your plant anchor in the soil before the roots are developed. Avoid leaving too much stem below the node or it could wind up rotting and causing the whole cutting to fail. Now that you have your cutting, here is where you can choose which propagation method is right for you.
Water propagation: Once you have your cuttings you can place them in a small clean vessel of fresh water. Often times people will use test tubes, small mason jars, or really any decorative jar or vessel as long as it is clean and preferably clear. From here, you can monitor your cuttings’ root development and water quality. Change the water every few days to avoid stagnating water which could harm your developing plant. Make sure your leaf node is in the water. Your cutting should get bright, indirect light. Roots should begin to develop in a couple of weeks and after about a month should be robust enough to be ready to be transplanted to soil and treated as you would a grown Syngonium plant.
Regular propagation: Alternatively you can choose to root your cuttings directly in a potting medium, bypassing any sort of water propagation steps. You can also root multiple cuttings in one pot so your plant fills out as it grows. To care for your “props” provide a warm area with bright, indirect light and ample humidity for tropical plants. This can be achieved by using a humidifier or misting your plants and placing a bag loosely overtop to keep the moisture in. Moist potting medium but not soaked is a good rule of thumb to follow to make sure your plant’s developing root system is not being drowned by an overabundance of water. After a few weeks to a month you should notice new growth in your plant, and your plant should be able to tolerate being transplanted into soil and a new pot. Your cutting is then ready to be watered and treated as you typically would a Syngonium.
Differentiating similar varietals
Syngonium “Pink Allusion” vs “Neon Robusta”
Syngonium “neon robusta” is a dusty pink in color with more rounded edges. Both “pink allusion” and “neon robusta” have pink veins which stand out against their respective leaf backdrops. However, both are very similar in appearance, with “neon robusta” being a more muted version, despite what its name might make you think. Nonetheless, both varieties are worthy of a place on anyone’s plant shelf.
Syngonium “Pink Allusion” vs “Pink Splash”
Pink splash has variegated spots of green on a bright pink background, and sharp arrow shaped leaves as opposed to slightly more rounded leaves present in the “pink allusion” variety. The quickest and easiest way to tell “pink splash” apart from other more subtle variations of Syngonium genus is that “pink splash” has very obvious variegation, going from a blush pink color background to splashes of bright green patterned on the leaf. Fortunately, whichever variety of Syngonium you chose, the conditions needed for your plant to thrive are similar across the board. Check out our article on the Syngonium Pink Splash!
Conclusion
Once you are all set with acquiring your Syngonium “pink allusion” the rest is relatively easy: provide your plant with ample humidity alongside plenty of bright, indirect light, and water your plant sufficiently, then it will boast a bounty of elegant and unique leaves from which you can create more plants to share. Your plant will fit in perfectly anywhere in your home, or if you live in a tropical region you can even let this plant grow outside in a hanging basket, or in the ground as a clumping plant. Anywhere you put it, “pink allusion” will add a bit of color and contrast.
Where to Buy a Syngonium Pink Allusion
If you are interested in owning a Syngonium Pink Allusion, there are a few sellers on Etsy. Click below for the prices from each store.
