Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Dragon's tongue (Hemigraphis repanda)
Also called Dragon's tongue, Dragon's tongue plant, Red ivy (genus name).
More about dragon's tongue
About Dragon's tongue
Hemigraphis repanda · also called Dragon's tongue, Dragon's tongue plant · tropical
Dragon's tongue (Hemigraphis repanda) is a low, creeping tropical from the Acanthaceae family, prized for narrow, toothed leaves that flush silvery-green to deep wine-purple. Its defining need is steady warmth and humidity: it sulks below 50% humidity, crisping at the edges, so consistent moisture in the air and soil matters more than anything else.
Preferred mix: Moisture-retentive, free-draining mix
Watch for — Leggy, faded growth: In too little light the stems stretch and the leaves lose their purple flush, reverting to plain green. Move to brighter indirect light and pinch back the tips to keep it compact and richly coloured.
Why dragon's tongue needs this mix
Dragon's tongue hates drying out, so it wants a mix that stays evenly moist — but it still needs perlite so "moist" never tips into "waterlogged".
- Dragon's tongue comes from damp, shaded forest floors and has fine roots that scorch and brown the moment the rootball dries — the mix has to hold a steady reserve.
- Coir and compost give that reserve, while perlite keeps enough air that the constantly-moist mix does not turn anaerobic.
- Even moisture also keeps its thin leaves from crisping at the edges, which is this plant’s most visible stress signal.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons dragon's tongue struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- A free-draining, gritty mix dries too fast for dragon's tongue — you get crispy brown edges and frond or leaf drop within days of one missed watering.
- A pure, airless peat mix swings the other way: it holds water but suffocates the fine roots and rots the crown.
- Letting the mix dry to the point it shrinks from the pot is very hard to re-wet evenly and stresses the plant badly.
Using a sharp, fast-draining "houseplant" or cactus-leaning mix that lets dragon's tongue dry out. It needs a moisture-retentive but still airy blend.
pH — does it matter for dragon's tongue?
Dragon's tongue prefers a slightly acidic mix (around pH 5.5-6.5); a peat-free compost-and-coir blend sits there naturally, so routine pH testing is unnecessary.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A good peat-free houseplant compost works for dragon's tongue straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
Drainage and the pot
Use a pot with a drainage hole but a less-porous material (plastic or glazed) so it does not dry too fast. Bottom-watering keeps the mix evenly moist without sogging the crown.
Peat-free mixes slump and compact as they hold moisture, so refresh dragon's tongue's mix every 12-18 months to keep air in the rootball even if the pot size is unchanged. When the time comes, our repotting guide for dragon's tongue covers the timing and technique step by step.
Dragon's tongue soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for dragon's tongue?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part coco coir : 1 part perlite. Dragon's tongue comes from damp, shaded forest floors and has fine roots that scorch and brown the moment the rootball dries — the mix has to hold a steady reserve.
Can I use normal potting soil for dragon's tongue?
A free-draining, gritty mix dries too fast for dragon's tongue — you get crispy brown edges and frond or leaf drop within days of one missed watering. A good peat-free houseplant compost works for dragon's tongue straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
Does dragon's tongue need a special pH?
Dragon's tongue prefers a slightly acidic mix (around pH 5.5-6.5); a peat-free compost-and-coir blend sits there naturally, so routine pH testing is unnecessary.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for dragon's tongue?
A good peat-free houseplant compost works for dragon's tongue straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
How often should I refresh the soil for dragon's tongue?
Peat-free mixes slump and compact as they hold moisture, so refresh dragon's tongue's mix every 12-18 months to keep air in the rootball even if the pot size is unchanged. Use a pot with a drainage hole but a less-porous material (plastic or glazed) so it does not dry too fast. Bottom-watering keeps the mix evenly moist without sogging the crown.
Keep reading
- Dragon's tongue care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water dragon's tongue — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting dragon's tongue — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Underwatered plant — signs and how to rehydrate it
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
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