Houseplant of the Week: Philodendron

Basic Info:

Philodendrons are one of the most common known houseplants. It is a great option for someone wanting to get started on their houseplant journey! They are known for their vining green leaves, but there are many different varieties to choose from. The most typical one is a Philodendron Cordatum or Heartleaf Philodendron. They are confused quite often with pothos. One way to tell the difference is the texture of the leaves. Not all varieties are necessarily just for vining though. There is the Philodendron Pink Princess, Imperial Red, or Jungle Boogie for example. The Philodendron Birkin was a very popular plant among the houseplant community a few years ago. These are all different varieties of a fuller looking plant philodendron. My favorite variety of the vining philodendron goes between the neon or micans. The micans are a rusty brown color that have a velvety look to them.

Care:

They prefer bright indirect to lower light settings. I tend to water mine around once a week. If they are super thirsty the leaves begin to curl a little bit or look wilted. Direct sun could cause burns on the leaves, they could have brown or black spots on them. They are great options for offices or places that get artificial light. Yellowing leaves could be a sign of overwatering or that it is time to repot your plant. If your vines are starting to look leggy one option is to just wrap it back into the dirt to see if roots start producing from the nodes. Another option is to propagate it.

Additional Info:

These are considered to be toxic so keep in mind around pets. I will say from personal experience my cat has chewed on them multiple times and been fine. Propagating a philodendron is super easy. Cut the plant near a node on the stem and pop it into water. Roots should start growing in just a few weeks. After the roots are a few inches long it is fine to transplant back into soil to start a whole new plant! Philodendrons love to crawl/grow upwards so adding a moss pole or trellis would be a great option.

Contact The Turkey Shed Mercantile on Facebook if you are interested in a philodendron, we have multiple varieties available. Our plants are now for sale at Pure Lux Day Spa, located in Tipp City!