Philodendron Origins & Care

Philodendron are beautiful plants that can either climb up poles and trees or crawl along tropic floors. Philodendron are native to the forests of Central America, South America, and parts of the Caribbean. Philodendron literally translates to love of trees. I must admit I am a bit biased because next to Monstera, philodendron are my absolute favorite. Philo's are a member of the Araceae family and are also known as "aroids". There are currently 25 types of philodendron available in the current market. The care for most philodendron are the same. Keep reading to get all the information you need to make sure your plant baby thrives in your space.

Temperature/Humidity

The average daytime temperature where this plant originates ranges from 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit. The nights can drop down to 68 degrees. The humidity levels of these regions can range from 65-90%. Most of us are growing these plants indoors in our homes and can't fathom 90 degree weather with 70% humidity. That's just irrational. These plants can thrive in temperatures of 70-85 degrees Fahrenheit with a median of 50-70% humidity. I personally keep all my philodendron in my plant room. My plant room maintains a solid 70-74 degrees with 50-85% humidity in the winter. During the summer, let's just say that room meets the criteria to be a subtropical region on it's own. If you find it hard to maintain these conditions in your home, try using an indoor greenhouse and a humidifier. Humidifiers are the best invention for indoor plants, especially if you live somewhere cooler and need to run a heater. During warmer months you can move these babies outdoors but there are a few things to keep in mind. Be sure to cleanse thoroughly to prevent pest outbreaks in your home. Refer to the "How to Prevent and Treat Pest Outbreaks" blog post for more details. Check your local hardiness zone to see if this plant is suitable for year round outdoor exposure.

Potting

Since philodendron are also aroids, there are still three ways to keep them in your home. The first is to use a chunky aroid potting mix. I offer OrganicLi's Magix Mix for Aroids which includes everything needed to help your philodendron thrive. In my mix is coarse perlite, pumice, orchid bark, compost, LECA, horticultural charcoal, and lava rock. As long as the potting mix you are using has space for aerating the roots, you'll be just fine. The second method is to grow your plant semi-hydroponically which utilizes Fluval stratum, Lechuza Pon, LECA, or lava rocks. Depending on my mood I use a combination of these tactics for propagating my beauties. The vessel being used with these amendments is filled 1/3's full of water that includes a nutrient solution. The third and final method of keeping your philodendron in your home is to grow in water which is using hydroponics. The third method still requires the water to have added nutrients. Water itself holds no nutritional value for a plant. Plants use their roots to take up nutrients to feed the leaves so make sure to feed your plants. It is also to keep in mind that when you grow your plants in water, you may experience smaller leaves or your leaves may become misshapen. When feeding your philodendron, they prefer a NPK ratio of 3-3-3. NPK refers to the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content of a fertilizer. Philodendron love to climb so giving them a moss pole will be very beneficial. Unlike Monstera, Philodendron love to use their roots to anchor and are more particular about what they anchor to. Monstera aren't that picky and will cling to a plank. If you use a moss pole, it is imperative you keep the pole moist or the roots inside the pole will wither and rot off. 

Watering

This tends to be the most stressful part of keeping houseplants for most plant parents. Since philodendron are native to the tropics, they endure wet and dry seasons. The dry seasons aren't completely dry but they are not always drenched either. The best rule of thumb is to water your philodendron thoroughly and allow the media to dry out about 50-75% before watering again. The most common error of watering is watering too frequently, not by giving the plant too much water. Plants will rarely ever take up more water than they need. The water they don't need sits in the soil around their roots which is what causes the rot.  
The easiest method to gauging how wet your soil, is to use a wooden stick or dowel. Stick the wooden stick into the media to the bottom and pull it out. If you see soil sticking to more than half of the stick, no need to water. If soil is sticking to less than half of the wooden stick, time to water. Keep in mind, the chunkier the soil, the more often you will need to water.

Lighting

What lighting does a Philodendron prefer you ask? This plant like most other indoor plants love bright indirect light. What does bright indirect light mean? It means your plant can see the sky but no direct sunrays are reaching the leaves of your plant.  Every plant will appreciate some direct sun but the type of direct sun matters tremendously. If you want your plant to experience the warmth of the sun, I'd suggest early morning to early afternoon sun. Direct late afternoon sun and evening sun can scorch your philodendron. If you live in hardiness zones 10-12 and want to keep your baby outside, give the plant shade beginning late morning to prevent leaf scorching. When growing plants indoors, you will always need to supplement the light the plant doesn't get from the sun. I maintain LED grow lights for 14 hours out of the day. I also keep these grow lights about 6" from the plants. 

Still need tips and tricks for your specific plant, send me an email or chat. I'll be happy to help!