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Pink Star Nerve Plant

Fittonia albivenis - sold as Pink Star

The original Pink Star patent describes pink leaves with green margins and markings. Give this nerve plant bright indirect light, moist compost and humid air.

Explore the care guide
Botanical illustration

Care at a glance

Know your plant

Fittonia albivenis belongs to the Acanthaceae family. [11]

Pink Star is the name used in Mila's catalogue. [19]

The RHS records Pink Star as an accepted named form of Fittonia albivenis. [21]

The original Pink Star patent describes small pink leaves with green margins, green spots and wavy edges. [20]

Light

Place near a bright window, sheltered from direct sunshine. [13]

Watering

  1. Keep the compost moist without leaving it waterlogged. [13]

  2. Feel the mix and lift the pot to check moisture before watering. Use these checks rather than a fixed calendar. [1]

  3. Water evenly through the mix, let excess drain, then empty the saucer or cover pot. [1]

Soil and pot choice

Use moisture-retentive, peat-free houseplant compost. [13]

Choose a pot with drainage holes and keep them clear. [1]

Temperature and humidity

Choose a warm room above 17°C (63°F), away from cold drafts. [13]

Humid air suits nerve plants. [13]

A room humidifier can raise humidity around houseplants in dry indoor air. [8]

Feeding

Every two to three months, use half-strength houseplant fertilizer when watering, following the product label. [14]

Repotting

  1. When roots fill the container, repot into a slightly larger pot with fresh moisture-retentive, peat-free compost. [14]

  2. Keep the plant at its existing depth. Water it in and let excess drain. [2]

Propagation

  1. Divide a large clump into sections with at least three stems each, keeping roots attached. [14][9]

  2. Replant each rooted section at its existing depth in fresh compost, water it in and drain. [2]

  3. In spring or summer, take a healthy stem tip about 5 cm (2 inches) long, cutting below a leaf pair. [14]

  4. Use a sharp knife. Remove lower leaves and insert at least one node into moist compost, keeping the remaining leaves above it. [15][10]

  5. Keep the cutting warm in bright indirect light with humid air and moist compost. Ventilate any cover while roots develop. [10][15]

Pruning and foliage care

Pinch back stem tips to encourage fuller growth. [16]

Remove dead leaves and stems. [14]

Problems and checks

Sudden wilt

Possible causes
  • Dry mix.
Checks to distinguish them
  • Feel the mix before watering.
Low-risk next step
If dry, water thoroughly and drain.
When to seek expert help
Seek advice if wilt persists.
Sources for these checks

Dryness can cause dramatic wilt; watering may help. [16]

Wilt or yellowing in wet mix

Possible causes
  • Poor drainage or damaged roots.
Checks to distinguish them
  • Check drainage holes and standing water; inspect roots if the mix remains wet.
Low-risk next step
Empty the saucer and restore drainage before adding water.
When to seek expert help
Seek advice for soft roots, spreading damage or continued decline.
Sources for these checks

Wet roots need assessment before more water. [3]

Crispy edges or scorched patches

Possible causes
  • Dry air, drafts or direct sun.
Checks to distinguish them
  • Check window exposure and nearby vents.
Low-risk next step
Shelter from direct sun and drafts.
When to seek expert help
Seek advice if damage spreads.
Sources for these checks

Review placement. [16]

Cottony clusters, bumps or fine webbing

Possible causes
  • Mealybugs, scale or mites.
Checks to distinguish them
  • Inspect leaf undersides and stem joints closely.
Low-risk next step
Separate the plant and identify the pest before treatment.
When to seek expert help
Seek advice for a spreading infestation.
Sources for these checks

Look for insects alongside leaf damage. [4]

Seasonal indoor care

As light and room conditions change, keep checking moisture and move the pot away from cold windows or heating vents. [3][1]

Children and pets

Safety

ASPCA lists nerve plant as non-toxic to cats and dogs. [17][12]

Eating plant material can still upset a pet's stomach. [18]

Keep plants, fallen leaves and cuttings away from pets that chew them. [18]

For suspected poisoning or signs of illness, contact your veterinarian or ASPCA Poison Control at 888-426-4435. Provide the botanical name. [5]

Keep plants, cuttings and loose potting material beyond young children's reach. Keep the botanical name with the pot. [6]

For human plant ingestion in the United States, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Elsewhere, contact your local poison service. Call emergency services for breathing difficulty, seizures, collapse or inability to awaken. [7]

Similar plants

The Pink Star patent describes pink leaves with green margins and markings. [20]

Thompson & Morgan's Red Tiger description features red veins over olive-green leaves. [22]

Sources

  1. Watering Indoor Plants

    University of Maryland Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: 2023-03-10

  2. Repotting houseplants

    University of Illinois Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  3. Diagnosing Houseplant Problems from Improper Environmental Conditions

    Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: Last reviewed January 2024

  4. Diagnosing Houseplant Problems Caused by Insect Pests

    Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: Last reviewed January 2024

  5. ASPCA Poison Control

    ASPCA Poison Control

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  6. Poisonous and non-poisonous plants: An illustrated list

    National Capital Poison Center

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  7. Get help online or by phone

    National Capital Poison Center

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  8. How to Care for Houseplants

    Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: Last reviewed October 2023

  9. How to Propagate Houseplants by Division and Offsets

    Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - Aaron Steil

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: Last reviewed January 2025

  10. How to Propagate Houseplants by Stem Tip Cuttings

    Iowa State University Extension and Outreach - Aaron Steil

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Updated: Last reviewed January 2025

  11. Fittonia albivenis - Plants of the World Online

    Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  12. Fittonia verschaffeltii - Plants of the World Online

    Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  13. Fittonia - RHS Plant Guide

    Royal Horticultural Society

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  14. How to grow fittonia

    Royal Horticultural Society

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  15. Softwood cuttings

    Royal Horticultural Society

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  16. Fittonia albivenis - Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  17. Nerve Plant

    ASPCA Poison Control

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  18. Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants

    ASPCA Poison Control

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  19. Fittonia ‘Pink Star’ Live Plant | Blush Pink Nerve Plant | Terrarium & Indoor Houseplant

    Mila's Exotic Plants

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  20. Fittonia plant named Pink Star - USPP18169P2

    Kees Schoenmakers; original assignee Schoenmakers Tropische Potcultures VoF - United States plant patent

    Accessed October 5, 2026 · Publisher date: 2007-10-30

  21. Fittonia albivenis (Verschaffeltii Group) Pink Star

    Royal Horticultural Society

    Accessed October 5, 2026

  22. Fittonia Red Tiger

    Thompson & Morgan

    Accessed October 5, 2026