Nerve Plant
Fittonia albivenis
Small, deep green leaves netted with fine white, pink, or red veins on creeping stems. Known for fainting when thirsty, then springing back.
2.2/5
how easy it is to care for
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
: Bright shade
Right by a north window, or a few feet from an east one
Right by a north window suits it, or a few feet back from an east one; NC State notes it also does well under fluorescent lights, so a desk lamp works. Sun on the leaves can shrivel them, so keep it out of the beam.
Sun landing on the leaves scorches them, and they can shrivel and drop, so keep it well back from a south or west window.
A north or east window suits it, or a desk under a lamp; NC State Extension notes it does well under fluorescent lights.
: Weekly+
Every 3-5 days; it faints when thirsty, then springs back
Its soil likes to stay evenly moist, so water every 3-5 days in summer and about every 4-7 in winter. Let it go thirsty and it faints, wilting hard, then springs back after a good soak.
Water until it runs out the bottom, then empty the saucer: it likes damp soil, not a soggy pot. The top of the soil should just start to dry before the next soak, which takes 3-5 days in most rooms.
Gone for a while? Five days is about its limit, so for a longer trip, ask a friend to water it.
: Small
A low mound 3-8 inches tall that spreads slowly
It grows 3-8 inches tall and slowly spreads 6-18 inches wide, its creeping stems rooting where they touch the soil. Pinching the tips now and then keeps the mound bushy and full.
Growth is slow. Pinch the stem tips now and then to keep it bushy and full; the creeping stems root where they touch the soil, which fills out the pot.
: Pet & kid safe
Nothing harmful for dogs, cats, or kids
- DogsSafe
- CatsSafe
- KidsSafe
UConn Extension counts it among houseplants safe for kids, and the ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to dogs and cats. Eating any plant can upset a pet’s stomach, but this one isn’t poisonous.
Kids too: nerve plant is on UConn Extension’s list of houseplants considered safe.
- ASPCA: safe for dogs.
- ASPCA: safe for cats.
- UConn Extension: safe for kids.
Cats and dogs: Most of the leading sources agree.
Kids: No poison-centre listing; rated from university extension sources.
: Average
Warm and draft-free; dry winter air is its hard season
Ordinary room warmth suits it, 55-80°F, away from cold drafts, heaters, and frosty glass. It likes 40% humidity or more, and dry winter air is its hardest season; a humidifier or glass terrarium helps.
- Temperature
- 55-80°F
- Humidity
- 40%+
: Mealybugs, spider mites
Mealybugs at the leaf joints; mites when the air is dry
White cotton where the leaves meet the stems means mealybugs; a faded, speckled look with fine webbing means spider mites, mostly in warm, dry air. Scale’s small brown bumps on the stems turn up now and then.
- Mealybugs
- Spider mites
- Scale
- Fungus gnats
A few. Mealybugs, scale, and spider mites turn up now and then, and root rot and leaf spot follow soggy soil.
Mealybugs look like tufts of white cotton where the leaves meet the stems; scale looks like small brown bumps stuck to the stems. Wipe both off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol (a fingernail lifts scale), then check again next week.
Spider mites leave a faded, speckled look and fine webbing, mostly in warm, dry air. Rinse the plant gently in the shower, undersides of the leaves included; if they come back, spray it with insecticidal soap.
Root rot shows as yellowing leaves and a plant that wilts even though the soil is wet: let it dry a little and water less often. Leaf spot leaves brown spots; pick off the worst leaves and keep water off the rest.
: Some
Pinch the tips; feed now and then in spring and summer
Pinch the stem tips every couple of months to keep it bushy, and give it a diluted fertilizer now and then in spring and summer. Repot only once it spills over its pot, into one a little bigger.
- Feeding6× a year
- Pinch tips6× a year
- Trim collapsed stems2× a year
- Repot1× a year
An ordinary potting mix in a small pot with a drainage hole: its roots are shallow, so it doesn’t need much soil.
Repot only when it spills over its pot, into a pot only a little bigger, or a wide, shallow one it can spread across.
Food is optional: a diluted houseplant fertilizer now and then in spring and summer is plenty.
: Suave
Small matte leaves netted in white, pink, or red veins
Fine white, pink, or red veins net each small, deep green leaf, about 3 inches long, so up close it reads like a tiny mosaic. The matte leaves crowd in until the soil is hidden.
Where to find me
Not at PILF places
Fun fact
The genus is named for two sisters, Elizabeth and Sarah Mary Fitton, who wrote a botany book in 1817.
Designer tips
Low, lacy, and graphic: the veined leaves read like a tiny mosaic on a desk or under glass.
Troubleshooting
It collapsed and looks dead
It’s almost certainly fainting from thirst, not dying. A good soak usually stands it back up; NC State Extension says it 'comes back after getting a drink.' Watering every 3-5 days in summer means fewer faints.
Why are the leaves shriveling and dropping?
Dry air, a draft, or sun on the leaves, per NC State Extension. Move it away from heaters, drafty doors, and sunny glass; a humidifier or a terrarium gives it the humid air it likes.
Some leaves are turning yellow
Likely too much water. If the soil stays soggy, empty the saucer and let the surface dry a little before the next soak; evenly moist is the goal, not wet.
See all 7
Why is it getting leggy?
It’s reaching for light, or due for a trim. Move it a little closer to a window, still out of the sun’s reach, and pinch the stem tips; it fills back in, and the tips root easily in water or damp mix.
Can it live in a closed terrarium?
Yes, the small ones especially; it loves the humid air. NC State Extension warns that air that’s too humid can wither the leaves, so lift the lid now and then if the glass stays fogged.
Is it safe for my cat or dog?
Yes. The ASPCA lists nerve plant as non-toxic to cats and dogs, and UConn Extension lists it as safe for kids. Eating any plant can upset a pet’s stomach, so a big nibble might still mean some vomiting, but the plant isn’t poisonous.
I’m going away for a week
Five days is about its limit, so for a longer trip, ask a friend to water it. If it has fainted by the time you’re back, a good soak often brings it round.
Propagation
Easily: the creeping stems root on their own.
- Snip a stem tip with a few pairs of leaves and push it into damp mix, or stand it in water.
- Keep it warm and humid (a clear plastic bag over the pot helps) until new leaves appear.
Or pin a creeping stem to the soil of a small pot beside it and cut it free once it has rooted.
The PILF Matrix
2.2/5
how easy it is to care for
2.7/5
how much it stands out visually
“The one that faints for attention every few days.”
- mosaic plant
Rated 1-5, with 5 being easiest
Built from light, water, air, pests, and upkeep.
Rated 1-5, with 5 being easiest
Rated 1-5, with 5 being highest presence
Built from its scale (size, shape, growth) and its look (color and flowers, shine, fullness).
Rated 1-5, with 5 being highest presence
Where it sits and what sun touches it.
- Dim shadeA dark corner or a windowless room; natural light casts no shadow
- Bright shadeBack from the window in a south-, east- or west-facing room, or right by a north-facing one, where only low early or late summer sun reaches it
- Filtered sunBehind a sheer curtain or tinted glass; the sun’s shadows are blurred
- Partial sunIn an east- or west-facing window: up to a few hours of direct sun
- Full sunThe sunniest spot you have, usually a south-facing window, with direct sun 6+ hours a day
How often, and what the soil does between.
- MonthlyEvery 2-3 weeks in summer and 3-5 in winter; the soil dries all the way between
- 2-3× a monthEvery 7-14 days in summer, longer in winter; the top of the soil dries between
- Weekly+About every 4-8 days in summer; the soil stays lightly damp
How much room it usually takes indoors.
Size
- TinyUnder 6 inches tall or wide; for a desk or a sill
- Small6 inches to 1.5 feet tall or wide; for a shelf or a sill
- Medium1.5 to 3 feet tall or wide; for a table or a stand
- Large3 to 6 feet tall or wide; for the floor
- GiantOver 6 feet tall or wide; a statement in the corner
Shape
- TreeA trunk that branches into a canopy
- CaneBare stalks topped with leaves
- UprightStiff stems or leaves rising straight from the soil
- FountainLeaves or fronds arching out from the center
- BushyA full, rounded mound of leaves
- RosetteLeaves radiating from one low point
- ViningTrails, climbs, or both
Growth
How fast it gets there.
- SlowUnder 6 inches of new growth a year
- Moderate6-12 inches a year, mostly in spring and summer
- FastOver 12 inches a year; it may want trimming or training
What risks exist for pets and kids.
- Pet & kid safeNothing to worry about
- Mildly irritatingMay irritate the mouth or stomach if chewed, or for some plants, the skin if handled
- Moderately toxicCan cause illness if eaten, though typically not serious or fatal
- DangerousCan cause serious illness if eaten, including some reports of death
- Not yet ratedNot clearly rated by our sources; please check with your vet or doctor
For its safety ratings, PILF relies on research and guidance from leading sources, including the ASPCA, Pet Poison Helpline, Merck Veterinary Manual, Poison Control, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and others.
The small jobs beyond watering, over a year.
- Little upkeepA few small jobs a year beyond watering, like a feed now and then
- Some upkeepA small job about once a month beyond watering, like feeding or turning it
- More upkeepA small job every couple of weeks beyond watering, like a wipe, a turn, or a feed
- Most upkeepA small job most weeks beyond watering, like raising the humidity or misting
- TreeA trunk that branches into a canopy
- CaneBare stalks topped with leaves
- UprightStiff stems or leaves rising straight from the soil
- FountainLeaves or fronds arching out from the center
- BushyA full, rounded mound of leaves
- RosetteLeaves radiating from one low point
- ViningTrails, climbs, or both
How fast it gets there.
- SlowUnder 6 inches of new growth a year
- Moderate6-12 inches a year, mostly in spring and summer
- FastOver 12 inches a year; it may want trimming or training
The temperature and humidity it’s comfortable in.
How dry a room it takes.
- Needs 50%+ humidity
- Fine at 35% humidity
- Fine at 15-20% humidity
The bugs that usually find it, by name.
How often pests find it.
- 5+ regular pests
- 3 regular pests
- Pests are rare
The year’s chores: feeding, pruning, repotting, and cleaning.
Chores beyond water (what needs work means).
- Most upkeep
- Some upkeep
- Little upkeep
Its finish, fullness, and texture.
Color, pattern, and flowers.
- SimpleOne green, one texture, nothing to read
- SuaveA sheen, a stripe, or a clean shape that catches the eye up close
- ShowyColor, pattern, or blooms you see from across the room
How the leaves catch light.
- Matte
- Satin
- Glossy or waxy
How much it fills its pot.
- Soil shows
- Soil partly hidden
- Leaves hide the soil