Nerve Plant
4.6 out of 5 (317 experiences)
Survivor
Fast grower
About Nerve Plant
The nerve plant is known for its striking, colored veins and powerful ability to cure headaches and snakebites. Its veins come in a variety of colors, including white, pink, and red. This dramatic plant will easily wilt when dry, but quickly recovers once watered. In its natural habitat, nerve plants grow as a ground cover in Ecuador and Peru and are used by indigenous peoples to give strength to their hunting dogs. 🐕
Taxonomy
Fittonia albivenis
Fittonia
Acanthaceae
Lamiales
Also known as
Mosaic Plant, Painted Net Leaf, Fittonia argyroneura and Fittonia verschaffeltii
How to care for Nerve Plant
How often to water your Nerve Plant
every 9
Nerve Plant needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Finding light for Nerve Plant in your home
a window
Nerve Plant may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.
Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Nerve Plant in your home 🏡.
How to fertilize Nerve Plant
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Nerve Plant after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
-
Help with leggy sad nerve plant This is my nerve plant, Mr. Legs 😂 he used to be beautiful and bushy, but has been put through multiple moves and changing of environments, one including being put near a heater 🙃 I was honestly just waiting for him to die out completely but since being in my newer place, he’s decided to keep hanging on. He seems to like where he is, and gets a brief amount of sun from a southern window. But he’s so leggy I have to support him with a stick. Can they be propagated? Would more stems grow from the roots at all? I guess I don’t know much about how these fellas grow. #Fittonia #NervePlant
-
Every time I look at my nerve plant I get impressed with how fluffy and full it is
-
Makes me hapy
-
Is he not the cutest! I found him at the Hy-Vee (a Midwest grocery store) in Norfolk, NE. Spooky season tends to offer plants in the off season that are considered “spooky” plants and I just love that! 👻 #spookyplants #plantsofthe40thstreetbungalow #campingwithplants
-
Good enough light? #Fittonia just got her in the mail. Soil looks very wet so I won’t be watering her for a little bit. I Put her in this window in my bathroom(west facing) is this good enough light? Never had this plant before but thought she was cute.
-
Does Juanita like this much light? She’s showing new growth and her leaves feel firm and full but they are curling. I wonder if she would prefer a spot further away from the window. Any advice on caring for this dramatic chiquita?
-
He perked back up! I raised the water level and added nutrients. He was probably just in shock
-
Fittonia in Leca I’m trying to transfer my Fittonia from soil to leca but it doesn’t seem to be taking very well. I know they are very dramatic but is there anything else in particular I should try? 😢 Also, has anyone else successfully made this transfer? #Hydroponics #leca #Fittonia #NervePlant #semihydroponics
-
it’s been watered and it has plenty of sunlight, why is it looking so sad?? #Fittonia
-
So this little lady made her way to me. Does she look like I can give her life? She’s not perked up, some of the leaves have started to wither. She just looks really sad! I’m new to the plant mom world so any help would be truly appreciated!
Nerve Plant is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!
💦 Water Needs
Nerve Plant prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
☀️ Sunlight Needs
Nerve Plant may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity
Nerve Plant is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.
Nerve Plant Toxicity to Cats →
💨 Humidity
Nerve Plant doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.
🪴 Soil
Nerve Plant does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
💩 Fertilizer
Nerve Plant should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!
❄️ Dormancy
It’s common for Nerve Plant to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.
🌎 Native Region
Nerve Plant is native to Colombia and Peru.
🌸 Flowers
Yes, you may see your Nerve Plant bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.
⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern
Nerve Plant grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.
🌦️ Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Nerve Plant can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 11b-12b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
🌱 Propagation
Nerve Plant can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:
- Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
- To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.
🍂 Yellow Leaves
Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.
Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Nerve Plant, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.
Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!
🧐 Troubleshooting
When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.
Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.
Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.
Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.
Care Summary for Nerve Plant
Nerve Plant
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 9 days
Placement
< 3ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
What other plant parents say
Survivor 156
Fast grower 143
Large, lush leaves 63
Browns easily 36
Easy to propagate 29
Blooms easily 13
Pest magnet 6
03/27/2022
I just love the fact that my dog wants to eat to when his tummy feels a little weird.
Survivor
03/23/2022
Came back after serious neglect. What a trooper!
Survivor
03/16/2022
Very dramatic plants
Survivor
03/07/2022
This plant seems to be bushy, sometimes needy for some water for its leaves to stand still but overall a easy-to-care plant. :)
Large, lush leaves
Survivor
Fast grower
03/05/2022
They’re easy. Keep out of direct light and water once a week.
Survivor
02/13/2022
So pretty!
02/09/2022
This is a beautiful plant with its own personality.
02/06/2022
I’m a newbie with this one but do far, no major shout outs. It’s still in its nursery pot. I keep it near a humidifier, bottom water every 5-7 days and and ensure the top soil remains moist.
01/31/2022
Not as pouty as Jae but needs repotted :)
01/31/2022
Very pouty when thirsty… pops right back up when watered
Fast grower
Survivor
01/21/2022
Keep the soul wet ! She’s a little dramatic when not watered
Fast grower
Large, lush leaves
01/19/2022
super great for new plant parents!
Survivor
Browns easily
01/18/2022
I don’t know much about this plant
Easy to propagate
01/14/2022
Cute plant! Easy to care for because it “faints” when it needs water.
Survivor
01/13/2022
This is a perfect indoor house plant! It’s leaves have what looks like veins which really makes it stand out and it’s fairly easy to care for. One of my favorites for sure!
Easy to propagate
Survivor
12/30/2021
So cute
12/28/2021
if not watered right when it wants to be, very dramatic and droops easily
Large, lush leaves
Fast grower
Browns easily
12/12/2021
This is a stunning plant that is easy to keep and will play nice with pets.
12/03/2021
i love all my nerve plants!! they are very good at telling you when they need water: their leaves will get very soft and droopy but will perk up soon after being watered. i live in a warm, dry room, and combined with having the plants in terra cotta pots, i find they need to be watered every few days. having a humidity tray has helped when i am out of town.
Fast grower
11/23/2021
The little tag that came with the plant says to water when the soil feels dry, this app tells me to water every 10 days. I water it I think once a week. Misting the leaves also helps. Overall it’s a great plant for a beginner like me.
Trending in your area
Similar to Nerve Plant
✨ Discover rare plants
Crassula 'Calico Kitt…
Anthurium papillilami…
Sedum 'White Diamond'
Rosularia platyphylla
Blushing Aeonium
Philodendron 'Rio'
Tillandsia caerulea A…
Fernleaf Lavendar
Chinese Evergreen 'Go…
Anthurium Fingers
Caladium
Eden Climbing Rose
Betel
Cleistocactus icosago…
Hoya 'Memoria'
Black Monkey Thorn Tr…
