Chinese Houses Plant Care
Collinsia heterophylla Buist ex Graham
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Collinsia heterophylla, known as purple Chinese houses or innocence, is a flowering plant native to California and the Peninsular Ranges in northern Baja California.
Every 4–7 days
Partial shade to full sun
50–80°F
40–70%
At a glance
How do you care for Chinese Houses?
Water Chinese Houses every 4–7 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it partial shade to full sun. It prefers temperatures of 50–80°F (10–27°C) and 40–70% humidity. Fertilize it every 6 months during the growing season.
Where Is the Chinese Houses Native To?
What Is the Chinese Houses?
Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla) belongs to the Plantaginaceae family within the Collinsia genus. Chinese Houses is native to California and the Peninsular Ranges in northern Baja California. Chinese Houses is also known as Purple Chinese Houses, Blue Chinese Houses, Collinsia.
Chinese Houses displays an upright, clumping perennial growth habit, reaching up to 1.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Chinese Houses produces tubular flowers in shades of purple, pink, or white.
Leaf size: approximately 2 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Chinese Houses?
Collinsia heterophylla requires watering every 4–7 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 4–7 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Chinese Houses Need?
Chinese Houses thrives in partial shade to full sun.
Light Requirement
Partial shade to full sun
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Chinese Houses Prefer?
Collinsia heterophylla grows best at temperatures of 50–80°F. Chinese Houses prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.
Temperature
50–80°F
Humidity
40–70%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Chinese Houses?
Moist, well-draining soil with high organic content. Good drainage is essential for Chinese Houses to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Chinese Houses?
Feed Chinese Houses every 6 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 6 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Chinese Houses?
Repot every 1-2 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Chinese Houses?
Chinese Houses can be propagated through seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to chinese houses plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Chinese Houses Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Chinese Houses, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Chinese Houses?
Chinese Houses is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, whiteflies. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Chinese Houses Need?
Chinese Houses grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Chinese Houses is native to California and the Peninsular Ranges in northern Baja California. In cooler regions, grow Chinese Houses as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 12a
Keep exploring plants
Chinese Houses is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Collinsia genus — compare its care with other Collinsia species on PlantoScan.
Collinsia is part of the Plantaginaceae plant family — browse all Plantaginaceae genera and species.
Chinese Houses thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
More Collinsia Species
Other Collinsia species in PlantoScan's care catalogue share similar watering, light, and soil preferences:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Collinsia heterophylla Buist ex Graham, family Plantaginaceae (first published in Bot. Mag. 65: t. 3695 (1838)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Chinese Houses, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 12a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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