Philodendron Care guide
Philodendron
Family: Araceae
Latin name: Philodendron
Extremely popular indoor plants, very easy to maintain. There are more than 400 varieties of Philodendron!
First classified by Schott in 1831 during a visit to America. It was introduced to Europe in 1693 by Schutte in 1893. Charles Plumier and quickly found a very large response. Some years later, in 1860, the Austrian botanist Heinrich Schott had described 135 species, and today at least 489 species have been classified.
They are divided into 3 categories based on their mode of development:
- epiphytic (growing on other plants)
- (growing on other plants)
- Semi-attached (grow in both of the above 2 ways)
They can adapt to a wide range of light, are not very demanding on watering and humidity conditions. They desire a regular cleaning of their leaves, as this greatly helps with better photosynthesis.
Easy and beautiful plants, they also provide purification of the atmosphere from toxins.
They can be grown upwards with the right support or hang spectacularly.
Attention! The leaves are toxic (contain calcium oxalate) if ingested, keep plants out of reach of small children and pets.
Lighting
Philodendrons prefer moderate to bright light conditions, but can adapt to low light. In this case, however, their leaves will be smaller and the plant will not be very compact.
Watering
They need moderate watering and after their soil has dried out thoroughly. Watering is most increased during the growing season and much less during the winter months. Ideally they prefer rainwater as this does not allow salts to accumulate in their roots.
Temperature
Room temperature is sufficient for their growth. At lower temperatures growth is inhibited and at very low temperatures the plant may wither.
Humidity
Like all tropical plants, philodendron is favored by high humidity, but has no problems with the usual humidity conditions found indoors in homes or offices.
Fertilization
Frequent fertilization dramatically favors their proper and rapid growth. Apply a diluted dose every 2 weeks during the growing season and stop in the winter months.
Tips
- By providing support for upward growth of the plant, it encourages the creation of larger sized leaves.
- The more intense the colours of a variety, the more necessary a bright position for the plant is.
Problems and solutions:
The plant shows brown leaves: The plant is showing signs that the plant is not at the moisture levels it needs. Moisture should be increased either by saucer (with gravel and water) or by spraying on the leaves. Caution! Spraying with tap water contains a lot of salts and chlorine and can damage the leaves. Rainwater or filtered water should ideally be used. If tap water is the only option, then it should be collected and used after 2-3 days when most of the chlorine has been eliminated.
The plant shows yellow leaves that are drying out: Regional yellowing of leaves and drying, is an indication that the plant is being watered more than normal. Check the soil before watering and make sure it is dry between waterings. If at the same time there are small spots on the leaves, then the plant is infested with tetrapod and needs spraying with the appropriate insecticide. Regular cleaning of the leaves with a dry cloth reduces the likelihood of tetrapod infestation.