Hello! My mom bought me a tiny polka dot plant from Home Depot over the summer, and I've split most of stems into cuttings. All of my cuttings, even the teeny tiny ones about an inch tall, are flowering (just the buds are showing right now, as you can see in the picture). At first I was really excited, but I'm starting to read that flowers signal the plant to start dying? Has anyone experienced this? I'm not sure if I should actually pinch the flowers off -- especially on the tiny ones... Thank you!!

Flowering does not signal that the plant is dying. However, it does tend to detract from future foliage growth. Hypoestes is noted more for its colorful foliage than for its insignificant flowers, so it is probably best to pinch out the buds as they emerge.

I agree, blooms don't mean that your Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) is dying but most grow these little plants for their pretty foliage rather than the inconspicuous little blooms.

Like most herbaceous perennials, Hypoestes has seasonal behavior. It just wants to bloom late summer/fall. Hummingbirds & bees love these blooms. After the blooms finish, those older, gangly bloom stems are discarded and new growth emerges late winter/spring. My plants have always done this, whether potted inside or outside since I now live where it is hardy. To keep it looking its' best over winter, give more light than it needs while outside for summer, and as warm as possible.

Congrats on your blooms. Great advice I agree with. Your plants look well, so I would take the appearance of blooms as a sign of good growing. I get excited over any bloom myself, but with your plants so young, I would choose the plant giving all it's energy to forming strong roots, and lovely leaves.