Description:
Philodendrons encompass a huge number of plants that climb, vine, crawl, and are even semi upright. They can be small vines with lush heart-shaped leaves or giant plants with large palm like fronds. The name, meaning tree loving, describes the reason philodendrons make such great house plants. They growing up, under, and in trees. This means they can handle low light conditions that many houses have inside.
I grow a few types of philodendrons but only offer a couple for sale that I find are reliable growers and easy for new owners. Personally, I’m a sucker for velvet plants, large leaves, and who doesn’t love pink?! Philos have all options and many more. I do find them a little more forgiving than syngonium but slightly harder than Pothos.
Stats:
- Botanical Name: Philodendron
- Family: Araceae
- Care: Easy
- Type: Perennial, Vining, crawling, climbing forms
- Size: 6ft indoors
- Sun: Bright Indirect Light
- Temperature: 50-95°F (10-35°C)
Water
Philodendron need moist, well draining soil. They love a good chonky, mix full of wood etc. Why? Because these plants grow up and on trees! Sitting in thick wet solid will rot the roots. If you have to err on dry versus wet, these can handle a little less water. However, adding humidity to the ambient air ends up making pretty, flawless leaves.
Light
In general philodendron need bright to medium indirect light, but this can really vary. The general rule of thumb is the lighter the foliage the more light it needs, while darker foilage can do with medium light. Variegated varieties need more light to show pinks, whites, etc.
Food/Soil
I use Liquidirt (not sponsored) for regular water and organic fertilizers during warm months. Your baby will come in a mix of coconut peat (aka coir) with heavy use of perlite for drainage. When repotting use a super, chunky aroid mix and a pot only an inch or so bigger. I always suggest waiting 2-3 weeks if your plant was shipped to repot. Give it time to acclimate to your conditions.
Varieties Offered
Stock can change but we often provide these Philodendron:
Pink Princess Philodendron
While these have been the “IT” girls for awhile, they have now become more affordable. However, a lot of these philodendron lack nice variegation until large. We try to sell only propagated babies that show decent variegation when young.
Philodendron Mican’s
This velvet leaf beauty is one of my absolute favorite vining philodendron. Leaves have a lovely reddish cast, especially when new. They are also covered in soft velvet. Does require humidity for leaves to look perfect, however, can adapt to less humidity just fine.
If You Need Help
As with all our plants, the Reaganskopp Homestead wants your plants to make you as happy as our plants make us. Please reach out with questions about care at any time. Tag us @craftthyme or #craftthyme and show us your beautiful plants in their new homes!