Am I Taking Good Care Of My Persian Shield Houseplant?

Did you place your Persian shield plant somewhere where it can get lots of bright sunlight?

Did you planted your Persian shield in neutral, well-drained soil?

Do you keep the soil consistently moist?

Did you provide a warm and humid environment for your Persian shield houseplant?

Did you fertilize your Persian shield houseplant?

Do you repot your Persian shield plant from time to time?

Do you prune your Persian shield plant?

Do you keep your Persian shield houseplant free of pests and diseases?

When kept indoors, the Persian Shield plant needs bright, indirect light to keep its color. They will also appreciate partial shade. Do not place it in direct sunlight because it can get sunburned easily.

Persian shield grows well in the neutral range of soil pH and can tolerate slightly acidic soil. Keep the pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Well-drained soil is a requirement as these plants like moist, but not soggy or flooded soil.

Persian shields like to be kept in consistently moist soil. They are not drought-tolerant, so you will need to keep on top of watering the plant to make sure it doesn’t dry out. When kept as a houseplant, you can expect to water your Persian shield at least twice a week, though always dip your finger into the soil to see if it is ready to be watered. Only water the plant once the top layer of soil has dried out. Otherwise, you risk drowning your plant and causing root rot.

When grown indoors, the Persian shield should be kept at a temperature above 60 °F. This plant relies on high humidity to thrive. This is fairly easy to replicate if your Persian shield is kept as a houseplant. The best way to give extra humidity to a Persian shield indoors is to place a thin layer of rocks in a saucer and balance the pot on top. Keep the saucer full of water.

Fertilization is one of the most important Persian shield care instructions, especially for potted plants. Feed every two weeks with a half dilution of liquid plant food. Suspend feeding in fall and winter.

When kept in a container, the Persian shield will need to be repotted every year when young. The best time to do this is in early spring, moving the plant to a container just one size up from its current container. Once the plant is older, you can reduce repotting to every other year.

Since Persian Shield is grown for its foliage and the flowers are not particularly showy, you can pinch back the leaves in early spring to create a fuller plant. If left to grow on its own, it can get tall, leggy and floppy. Pinching off the flowers as soon as they appear will ensure the plant's energy focuses on foliage production rather than blooming.

Good job! You are taking good care of your Persian shield houseplant.

Houseplants are relatively safe from pests but you should watch out for mites. If they do appear, deal with them with insecticidal soap. Maintain good watering practices to avoid root rot and other fungal problems.