Syngonium Neon Robusta is a beautiful pink variety of the popular arrowhead vine family.
These subtropical climbers are a super versatile species, able to happily grow as a bushy houseplant, a vine, or a terrarium plant – depending on how you like to grow them.
With their dynamic arrow-shaped leaves and vibrant tones, this plant provides a welcome pop of color wherever they go.
The Pink Syngonium makes for easy plants to care for, perfect for both the occasionally forgetful plant parent and the overly keen waterer!
Find out how to make these vibrant plants shine!
Pink Syngonium – Vibrant Origins & Colors
A somewhat natural variation of the ever-popular classic Syngonium podophyllum, the Pink Syngonium is made of good stock.
The stunning dusty pink coloration actually comes as a natural mutation of the less vibrant pink ‘Neon’ cultivar.
So, it’s not surprising the more brightly coloured version has become the dominant one in our homes.
The characteristic arrow-shaped leaves are easily identifiable, even in their juvenile form. However, eventually, they’ll develop into broad multi-lobed shapes where the arrow softens and widens (but you can expect to wait a long time for this to happen).
The natural diversity in this plant’s size and growth pattern is heavily shaped by its environment, so to some extent, you get to choose how you’d like it to look.
In the home and in a terrarium, Syngonium ‘Neon Robusta’ tends to grow as a dense clump that slowly spreads out, or if you give it something to climb, it’ll definitely direct its growth upwards.
Whichever way you decide to grow this plant, with the right conditions, it’s sure to reward you with plenty of gorgeous foliage.
Where to Buy the Pink Arrowhead Plant
See the links below to purchase from reputable terrarium plant shops and marketplaces (may include affiliate links).
Syngonium ‘Neon Robusta’ Care & Growth
At a Glance
| Plant Type | Vine, foliage, large |
| Lighting | Bright, indirect light |
| Temperature | 60-80°F (15-26°C) |
| Watering | Regular, even moisture |
| Humidity | High humidity (60-90%) |
| Growth | 20-30 inches |
Lighting
As a rainforest vine, the Pink Arrowhead Plant favors bright indirect sunlight.
That being said, it’s pretty forgiving on the lower end of light conditions, too. Though – as with all variegated plants – you can probably expect to see some loss of color in full shade.
Want to keep those pink leaves looking their best? Then give them as much brightness as you can.
However, that doesn’t mean direct sunlight. The sensitive leaf structures can be prone to scorching in full sun (and you’ll want to do everything you can to protect its vibrant colors!).
Watering
The tropical nature of the Pink Syngonium means it likes to be evenly moist, so it’s going to appreciate regular water.
It’ll do fine if allowed to dry out a little between waterings, but if you see it drooping, then it’s getting too thirsty.
Just make sure it’s able to drain properly; otherwise, you risk root rot with a constantly saturated substrate.
When growing as a houseplant, pots with drainage holes are the easiest way to guarantee you’re not waterlogging your plants.
Equally, in a terrarium, this plant appreciates regular moisture, so it’ll thrive in sealed tropical conditions. Just make sure to balance the water in the system appropriately and provide enough drainage in your substrate.
Substrate / Soil
This resourceful species isn’t overly fussy about what it’s planted in, but mimicking its native tropical environment is always a good option.
A light substrate mix with good aeration, water retention, and drainage is ideal for Syngonium ‘Neon Robusta.’
In both terrariums and pots, I like to use a coco coir base with orchid bark and earthworm castings.
👉 Check out our tropical substrate mix – it’s a natural fit here.
If potting mix is all you have to hand, I’d recommend adding supplementary drainage materials (e.g., perlite) to make a more effective blend of soil.
Temperature & Humidity
Being a tropical and subtropical species, Syngonium podophyllum ‘Neon Robusta’ is quite sensitive to temperature.
The fact that it’s not frost hardy shouldn’t be much of an issue in a terrarium, but it’s still important to maintain a room temperature above 10°C (50°F) and avoid areas with cold drafts or wide temperature fluctuations.
Humidity is less critical, but it’s always well received (it can help to develop more aerial roots for propagating down the line, too).
In a closed terrarium environment, the Pink Arrowhead Vine will definitely appreciate the higher air moisture and temperature.
Growth
When it comes to growth, this pink plant is quite the jack-of-all-trades.
It can grow to a wide range of shapes and sizes, depending on the environment and how it’s planted.
Though the Pink Syngonium is technically a vine, I find these don’t really trail at all.
Juvenile plants tend to have a more upright growth pattern and form pretty tight clumps, which makes them useful as foreground focal pieces in terrariums.
For the most part, it tends to remain a relatively compact variety, but if you give it something to climb, it can really start to develop.
Mature plants lose their signature arrow-shaped leaves and become much larger and broader. But, it’s rare to see these plants mature very far in the home.
I find plant growth to be pretty slow at best, so you won’t need much in the way of houseplant fertilizer.
Propagation
Syngonium ‘Neon Robusta’ is propagated best through stem cuttings.
Though, the dense foliage doesn’t always make it easy to reach the best cutting points.
Ideally, your stem cutting should have an aerial root and some healthy leaves, but you may have to reach deep into the base of the plant to find them (I certainly did).
Our cutting ended up with quite a few leaves, but it’ll have a good chance of success.
This can be planted directly into water, and you can expect to see some decent root growth in a few weeks.
Alternatively, cuttings can be planted directly back into the substrate, but I’d only recommend this if they have a healthy aerial root.
Varieties & Similar Plants
There’s a huge amount of diversity in the Syngonium genus, with many popular varieties.
Besides the ‘Neon’ cultivar, there’s also the “Pink Splash” or “Red Spot” for those looking for pink plants with less bold variegation.
Elsewhere in the genus, Syngonium erythrophyllum ‘Llano Carti Road’ is a gorgeous vining species with a luxurious dark chocolate color, and Syngonium podophyllum ‘Pixie’ is a cute little dwarf species with a creamy white variegation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Though perhaps once a rarity, these days it’s fairly easy to get a hold of the various varieties of Pink Syngonium – particularly Syngonium ‘Neon Robusta.’
Preserving the gorgeous pink variegation is mostly down to the amount of light you’re giving your plant. Bright light (but not direct) is the best way to maximize the color of the leaves.
The versatile Pink Syngonium can thrive as an indoor plant in a variety of household conditions, and if your climate is hot enough, you can even grow it outdoors!
Unfortunately, the Syngonium genus as a whole is indeed toxic to animals and humans as it’s full of calcium oxalates. So be sure to keep any innocent hands or paws away from these plants.