Temperature
60–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Turtle vine
Callisia repens
Turtle vine wants bright indirect light and water every 4 to 9 days, once the top inch is dry. Toxic to cats and dogs.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
Within two feet of an east or south window. In lower light the pink tones fade and the stems space out.
Water
Every 4–9 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 55%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 1 of 5: Scores 1 of 5: grows from any fragment, tolerates most things, and goes bald at the base like every Commelinaceae. Restart it from cuttings rather than trying to rescue it.
Habit
Trailing
Grows to 4–24 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats and dogs — poison severity medium
The toxic principle is not identified by the cited authority. Reported signs include skin irritation, dermatitis.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says
- ASPCA
- No record page found under any name tested.
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Medium · Calcium oxalate crystals · If ingested, the plant can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, throat swelling, and difficulty breathing or swallowing for children and pets. The leaves have an oil that can cause skin and oral irritation.
Light
Bright indirect light. Within two feet of an east or south window. In lower light the pink tones fade and the stems space out.
Water
Every 4 to 9 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top inch is dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite.
Repot roughly every 1 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Leggy growth monitor
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Root rot act today
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Aphids this week
Propagation
Stem cutting in water or soil. Roots in 7 to 14 days.
A cutting without a node will not root. It may stay green in water for months and never produce a single root, because it has no growth point.
| Preferred method | stem cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | water, soil |
| Time to root | 7–14 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Callisia repens Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q1693148 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Callisia repens Accepted name; family Commelinaceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: Humoyun Mehridinov, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 4.0.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02