Sticky Chinese Houses Plant Care

Collinsia tinctoria Hartw. ex Benth.

Updated · Sources · How we source care data

Collinsia tinctoria is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae known by the common names sticky Chinese houses and tincture plant.

🌱Herbs🌼Perennials
Water

Every 4–7 days

Light

Partial shade to full sun

Temp

50–80°F

Humidity

40–70%

At a glance

How do you care for Sticky Chinese Houses?

Water Sticky 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.

What Is the Sticky Chinese Houses?

Sticky Chinese Houses (Collinsia tinctoria) belongs to the Plantaginaceae family within the Collinsia genus. Sticky Chinese Houses is also known as Sticky Blue-eyed Mary, Dyer's Blue-eyed Mary.

Sticky Chinese Houses displays an upright, clumping perennial growth habit, reaching up to 1.5 ft tall with a spread of approximately 1 ft. Sticky Chinese Houses produces tubular flowers in shades of purple, pink, or white.

Leaf size: approximately 2 inches.

How Often Should You Water a Sticky Chinese Houses?

Collinsia tinctoria 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 Sticky Chinese Houses Need?

Sticky Chinese Houses thrives in partial shade to full sun.

Light Requirement

Partial shade to full sun

What Temperature and Humidity Does the Sticky Chinese Houses Prefer?

Collinsia tinctoria grows best at temperatures of 50–80°F. Sticky Chinese Houses prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Temperature

50–80°F

Humidity

40–70%

What Soil Mix Works Best for a Sticky Chinese Houses?

Moist, well-draining soil with high organic content. Good drainage is essential for Sticky Chinese Houses to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

How Often Should You Fertilize a Sticky Chinese Houses?

Feed Sticky 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 Sticky 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 Sticky Chinese Houses?

Sticky Chinese Houses can be propagated through seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to chinese houses plant care, which shares the same genus.

Is the Sticky Chinese Houses Toxic to Pets and Children?

Pet safety not verified

The ASPCA does not list Sticky 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 Sticky Chinese Houses?

Sticky 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 Sticky Chinese Houses Need?

Sticky Chinese Houses grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. In cooler regions, grow Sticky Chinese Houses as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.

Hardiness Zone

Zone 12a

Keep exploring plants

Sticky 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.

Sticky 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 tinctoria Hartw. ex Benth., family Plantaginaceae (first published in Pl. Hartw. : 328 (1849)) — World Flora Online record, IPNI name record.
  • Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Sticky 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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