Verdant Dwellings Healthy Happy Plants- Philodendron

Philodendron Golden Melinonii

Philodendron Hastatum ‘Grey Silver Sword’

Philodendron Red Emerald

Philodendrons are a huge and varied range of vining plant’s from the family Araceae and is the second-largest variety of that family. There are hundreds of Philodendron varieties and they come in multiple colours, leaf shapes, sizes both vine thickness and leaf size, textures and variegations. They are generally an easy to care for plant however although there are general ways to keep Philodendrons happy, some varieties will have added more specific needs.

A generally hardy and adaptive variety, let’s take a look at some of the similarities and differences in some Philodendron varieties and how to keep them happy and healthy.

Philodendron Heart Leaf

aerial Roots

Philodendrons are a vining variety of plants and most will grow both a leaf and an aerial root at each node. If you look under the leaf where it meets the stem you can see little bumps that will sometimes grow longer, especially when moisture is available in the air. The roots in the soil, which are large and strong in Philodendron, will keep the plant nourished and happy so the aerial roots need no attention. It does make Philodendron an easy plant to home propagate, however. Water Propagation is the easiest way but you can also propagate Philodendron roots before cutting the plant. Simply layer damp Sphagnum Moss around the node where you wish to cut the vine and wrap firmly in place, Cling Wrap is great for this however specific products are also available. Keep the Sphagnum moist and once the roots are long, and beginning to branch, you can cut below the new roots and pot the plant immediately. Once a Philodendron vine is cut, it will stimulate new growth at the nodes and sometimes grow more than one new vine. The plants will also spontaneously grow new vines when happy as they mature.

“There are hundreds of Philodendron varieties and they come in multiple colours, leaf shapes, sizes both vine thickness and leaf size, textures and variegations. ”

Light

Philodendrons are generally bright light lovers. They don’t want to be in direct harsh light however a bright morning sun position is fine. Light is the best way to get this family to grow large, fast and strong. Some varieties will survive in medium light positions however they won’t thrive the way they do in a bright spot. Native to Tropical Rainforests these plants also enjoy dappled or filtered light that can sometimes include midday to later afternoon light. Generally, if you would not sit in the sun for fear of burning, don’t leave your Philodendron in that position. If you would happily sit for hours in the dappled bright position, your plant will love it too! If the light is too low, the leaves can become very slow to grow and in fine vined Philodendron like the Hederaceum varieties, the vine may grow with large gaps between smaller leaves or no leaves at all.

Philodendron Tortum

Philodendron Gigas

Water

Philodendrons are naturally from Tropical Rainforests which gives a good insight into the kind of watering they require. Leaving the soil to dry before another water is perfect and humidity is much appreciated. The hardy and amazing variety it is, Philodendrons do not have to have humidity however so don’t feel the need to rush to the humidifier. If the air is too dry, new leaves can have trouble loosening and unfurling as the plant grows so if particularly dry, a water or foliage feed. like our Verdant Indoor Plant Food Spray is perfect to mist the plant’s foliage once a week. If your Philodendron is in a naturally humid position then it will take the moisture from the air and no added measures are needed. Due to the dry air, Winter in Southern Australia is often when some added humidity is required.

Philodendrons are wonderful at telling you if they are over or underwatered. Overwatering will cause the leaves to blacken which will creep and continue as the plant tries to rid itself of excess moisture. If continually wet, root rot can also set in. If left too dry for too long, the leaves will yellow before falling off their stem. This will often occur at the base of the vine and work its way up to allow the new tip growth to remain healthiest. However yellowing leaves can pop up all over the vine if the soil is too dry. Letting the soil dry, but not leaving it that way, is the best way to ensure a happy Philodendron plant.

Leaves

Philodendrons have such a huge range of leaf colours, shapes and textures that you are sure to find one to love. Sometimes the leaf shape will be long and sword-like, such as an Imperial or Hastatum (pictured). Other times they can be long and finger-like, such as the Tortum (pictured). These leaf shapes can come in green, red, orange, yellow, brown, black and all in between. Others may be multicoloured such as the Heart Leaf Hederaceum’s Brazil (pictured) and Cream Splash. Leaves and stems can also be different colours and leaf shapes may be lobed as seen in the Florida and Squamiferrum and serrated leaves are also common like the Serratum and Narrow. However, there are also the velvet feel leaves of many Philodendron varieties such as the Micans, Gigas (pictured) and Melanochrysum; true stunners. The variety is so large, and Philodendron Varieties are still being discovered and hybridized. Like all plants, Philodendron can also naturally mutate and green plants can develop variegated patches of colour in white, yellow and light green. These natural mutants are rare and difficult to find.

An important note on Philodendron leaves is that they can develop small yellow spots. People often think it’s due to pests, water or the sun. It is true that water spots can occur if bright light heats the water as it evaporates and it burns the leaf in a small spot. Pests feeding on the leaves can also cause yellow spots on the leaf, usually with a blurred edge rather than the sharp edge of a burn. However commonly Philodendron will develop these pinprick like spots all over the leaf due to a lack of airflow. They love a warm humid environment, however, if that humidity is thick or the temperature is high, the plant will have individual cells that die off leaving small sharp-edged spots. Airflow, natural or manufactured, is the best way to combat this and it can be as simple as an open window or fan. If you have new leaves opening with multiple spots and adding airflow the only change, future growth will be clean and heat spots will magically stop.

Some Philodendrons have more specific needs such as high humidity or a higher constant temperature, so it is always worth checking the listing for specific information on the plant’s needs. However, if you are looking for a plant that is interesting, versatile, forgiving and very beautiful, a Philodendron may be the plant for you.

Philodendron Brazil

Verdant Dwellings have had over 35 varieties of Philodendron available online on both the Dry Out and Rare pages, plus in-store, with multiple available year-round. This list continues to grow, and many return and disappear for a while, so remember to follow our Socials to keep up to date!

If you have any questions about your plant and its health and behaviour, you can contact us directly for specific expert advice.

Happy Growing!