Nerve Plant Care: 7 Tips for Growing Fittonia Plants

Nerve plants (Fittonia albivenis) are tropical, humidity-loving growths known for their crispy, dark green leaves paired with spindly veins and nodes of different hues. Other common names include painted net leaf, fittonia, and mosaic plants. Members of the Acanthaceae plant family, they grow plentifully in the rainforests of Peru, Ecuador, and other South American countries.

While they provide ample ground cover in their natural habitat, nerve plants grow best as indoor plants in less humid and hot regions of the world due to their unique climate needs. Some gardeners choose to keep them in small terrariums—miniature indoor gardens encased in glass—due to how much climate control and trapped humidity such a small, contained environment allows.

While the basic appearance of nerve plants remains the same from one variety and cultivar to another, there are key differences between various types. Consider these five fittonia plants:

1. 1. ‘Black Star’: These nerve plants are so dark they almost look black instead of green. Place them in a hanging basket near a window so the sun can light up its vibrant red veins in contrast with its darker foliage.
2. 2. ‘Frankie’: Part of the Argyroneura subset of fittonia, this nerve plant’s pink veins are dazzling alongside its leaves’ deep green color. Give it plenty of bright indirect sunlight to ensure it flourishes.
3. 3. ‘Juanita’: Found under the Verschaffeltii umbrella of nerve plants, ‘Juanita’ does best in medium light. Its variegated leaves alternate between green foliage and red veins.
4. 4. ‘Pink Angel’: As the name would suggest, ‘Pink Angel’ nerve plants pop with bright pink veins. Make sure their soil remains moist or else the leaves will start to droop.
5. 5. ‘White Anne’: This nerve plant’s white veins can stretch so wide they almost cancel out the background green foliage of the plant as a whole. Either grow them in a terrarium or make sure you mist them daily.

Nerve plants can be a bit temperamental, so you’ll need to care for these tropical plants well to help them survive and thrive. Here are seven key nerve plant care tips:

1. 1. Cultivate a humid environment. Nerve plants require high humidity to thrive. If you don’t already live in an extremely humid area, you should consider bringing these plants indoors so you can keep them moist at room temperature. They risk wilting or outright dying otherwise. Use a humidifier or resort to misting your plants regularly as an alternative. Build a small terrarium to allow even more moisture to remain trapped near your plants.
2. 2. Exterminate pests. Like many other plants, fittonia leaves are feeding grounds for aphids, gnats, and mealybugs. If you encounter these pests on your plants, use neem oil or another insecticide to eliminate the problem. Prevention is preferable—the healthier you keep your plants and the more you keep an eye on them, the less likely such an infestation will occur in the first place.
3. 3. Feed the plants. You should fertilize your fittonia every week, especially if they’re new plants. A regular houseplant fertilizer might be useful in a pinch, but liquid fertilizers designed expressly for tropical plants will prove the most useful.
4. 4. Give them the right light. Find a happy medium between constant direct sun and low light to mimic the jungly homelands of your nerve plants. Place them in a sun-facing window if you’re keeping them indoors to expose them to constant bright indirect light throughout the day. If they’re out in your garden, make sure they’re in a shady region that still gets a moderate amount of direct sunlight.
5. 5. Keep your potting soil moist. Make sure your potting mix can stay damp without getting waterlogged since moist soil is perhaps foremost among the nerve plant’s needs. Avoid using soils that dry up too fast. Ensure there are drainage holes to prevent the water from gathering at the bottom of your pots—too much moisture can also be a bad thing.
6. 6. Repot when necessary. If you notice your nerve plants getting too big for their pots, resort to repotting and propagation. To repot them, simply gather the root ball at the bottom of your nerve plant, divide it carefully, and replant the portions in various pots. Propagation works the same way, although you can also use stem cuttings to achieve the same effect.
7. 7. Water regularly. Get into the habit of watering these plants whenever their soil looks even a little dry. The soil shouldn’t look muddy, but it should always be at least a little damp to encourage the flourishing of nerve plants. Still, don’t go overboard. Overwatering and soggy soil can cause root rot and other problems.

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