Ever wondered about comparing Silver splash vs. Exotica? Silver splash and Exotica look very similar. If you don’t know them, you can easily get confused. Both plants are varieties of the Scindapsus plant, which may explain the resemblance.
At first glance, the leaves are green and feature whitish or silver variegation patterns. However, knowing these two can help you easily identify them.
This article will help you know their significant differences, so you can effortlessly tell them apart. So, read on for an in-depth look at these two exotic house plants.
Table of Contents
What is Scindapsus Silver Splash?
Silver Splash is an exotic climbing plant that belongs to the Araceae plant family. This plant is also known as the Scindaspus pictus. Under the right conditions, the silver splash plant can thrive indoors and outdoors. The plant produces flowers, but they can only bloom when kept outside. So, keeping it indoors won’t lead to flowering.
Scindapsus silver splash is native to tropical parts of Southeast Asia. This includes Thailand, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and parts of India. Its tropical and subtropical native environment makes the plant unable to tolerate cold weather.
This is why it should be kept indoors if you live in a cold region, and you might want to adjust the atmosphere to the correct temperature and humidity.
The ideal temperature for the proper growth of your silver splash should be between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 and 23 degrees Celsius). This plant loves humidity. So, keep it where it has at least 40% humidity.
You can get a humidifier to adjust the atmosphere appropriately. Remember that this plant is not considered safe for humans and animals. So, keep your children and furry ones as far away from it as possible.
What is Scindapsus Exotica?
Scindapsus Exotica is a tropical climber houseplant that is used to add a touch of beauty to a room or an outdoor garden. It is also a member of the same Araceae family as the silver splash. Maybe the common origins confuse silver splash and Exotica.
Exotica is one of these slowly-growing plants. So, you should not worry when it takes two or more years to mature completely.
When it is two years or older, you will need to repot this plant to make room for it to expand. When it comes to growing conditions, this plant needs nothing other than a warm and humid atmosphere.
This plant must be kept in a warm atmosphere between 60 and 80 Fahrenheit (15 and 26 Celsius). Despite its need for warmth, leaving the plant close to an active source of heat is not recommended. Extreme heat is as bad as cold weather for the longevity and thriving of this exotic plant.
Make sure to set up humidity levels to be at least 50%. But it should not exceed 70%, though. You can use a humidifier to avoid turning its vibrant leaf edges into dry and crispy ones.
Differences between Scindapsus Silver Splash and Scindapsus Exotica?
When you see these plants simultaneously, you might be able to tell they are different. However, seeing each one can be tricky and easily confuse you. Knowing the different prominent characteristics of each plant will remove the confusion.
1. Color
This is a very defining factor when comparing silver splash vs. Exotica. In both plants, the leaves are typically green. However, it is not the same color shade. The silver splash is medium or lighter green, while the exotica leaves tend to be more of a dark green hue.
To help you identify both plants more clearly, look at the midrib. This part of the leaf is located at its center and has no variegation. So, one look at it can help you identify the lighter and the darker green shades.
2. Shape
At first sight, you might think the shapes are almost identical. But there are some apparent differences in the shape. Both plants have thick and broad leaves. However, the leaves of a silver splash plant have the shape of a hook. The leaves of the exotica plant look like a drawing of a heart.
3. Variegation
Both plants are variegated, but the shape and pattern of variegation are never the same. The distinct silver variegation on the exotica leaves is concentrated around the center of each leaf.
You can easily see it right next to the midrib of each leaf in the form of a big silver spot. As for the variegation around the edges, it tends to be in the form of small splashes.
On the other side, the silver splash has precisely what its name says. It has small splashes or dappling of bluish silver spread all over the leaf surface.
4. Growth height
A mature silver splash can reach up to 3 meters tall. In this case, frequent pruning helps in height control. The height of a single mature plant leaf can be around 30 cm. The exact dimensions do not apply to a mature exotica. A fully grown exotica plant can be about 1 meter tall.
Typically, it will get taller when left outdoors. So, it is shorter than a mature silver splash. As for the leaf size of the exotica plant, it is not very different from silver splash, as it ranges between 25 and 35 cm.
5. Hardiness zones
Despite being native to the same places in Southeast Asia, both plants need different US hardiness zones. The ideal US hardiness zone for growing the Scindapsus exotica plant is between 10 and 12. As for the silver splash, it needs US hardiness zones between 9 and 11.
Scindapsus Silver Splash vs Scindapsus Exotica: are they the same?
Absolutely not; when you compare silver splash vs. Exotica, you will find completely different plants that share a few apparent similarities. For instance, they have similar leaf sizes or thicknesses.
Also, the care requirements for both plants need high or medium but indirect light from the sun, along with a warm and humid indoor atmosphere—no need to mention soil that drains very well, such as loamy soil.
However, the significant differences between these two plants lie in their leaves. The leaves have different colors. The Silver Splash has a lighter green shade compared to Exotica’s shade. Exotica leaves have a very dark green color that creates a stunning visual contrast with their whitish or silver variegation.
Also, both plants feature an utterly different variegation pattern. When you see both plants, the leaf colors and variegation will help you identify them correctly. The variation of silver splash is more spotty than the broad streaks of the Exotica.
The plants can vary in height, as the mature silver splash is taller than a fully-grown exotica. Also, they can grow in different hardiness zones. You can grow the silver splash in any zone with US hardiness ratings of 9 and 11. The Exotica does a great job in zones between 10 and 12.
