Despite the great popularity enjoyed by philodendrons, only a limited variety reach our living rooms. This is more regrettable because there are many to choose from.
Philodendrons have been known for a long time, but the number of known species has increased tremendously in the last 15 to 20 years.
Not only did the botanist fly into the jungle to come back with a catch, but the commercial grower also went on such hunting trips.
About 20 years ago, perhaps 400 species were known; this number has more than doubled since. In addition to the new imports, southern California and Florida growers have introduced excellent hybrids and varieties (mutations), which are useful in southern landscape work and have also proved desirable house plants in northern areas.
Before enumerating the new varieties and the good old “reliables,” it may be advisable to see what makes philodendrons so popular and what we can do to keep them that way: to enjoy them and eliminate disappointments.
Types of Philodendrons: Vine, Tree and Sessile
Philodendrons—love tree is a name appropriate to the natural habit of the vine types that were discovered first. Since then, two other types have become known: the tree or arborescent type and the sessile or self-heading.
Plants of similar appearance have been incorrectly named philodendra, such as Monstera, Pothos, Scindapsus, and Syngonium. Because of the many kinds and because of their adaptability to our homes, the popularity of philodendrons is increasing each year.
They are particularly well suited to “room scaping” the home of modern decor. Some varieties will grow in shade, and others in full sun exposure.
The largest group of philodendrons continues to be the vine type—large or small leaves. Whether growing as hanging plants or supported by bark or moss sticks, many varieties exist.
Since it is their natural way to grow, clinging to a tree, it is wise to give them similar accommodation in the home, too.
The best support in the house is a moss stick or moss pole because the aerial roots like to grow into the moss, which holds the humidity and keeps the roots moist but not wet.
Growing and Supporting Philodendrons
Philodendrons are heavy eaters so make the soil mixture rich with humus and such nutrients as well-rotted manure and bone meal. There are many recipes for philodendron soil mixtures.
Here is a soil mixture that always produces good results:
- 2 parts leaf mold
- 1 part manure (well-rotted)
- 1 part soil
- ½ part sand
- ½ part charcoal
Add one four-inch pot of bone meal to a bushel of soil mixture.
When using the moss stitch or moss pole for support, fill the container with soil, tamping it slightly around the moss stick up to ¾ of the height of the container.
Start with small plants which can be trained easily on the moss. You will find that a young plant growing on moss will grow much larger leaves than a plant that has been started without such support.
A combination of large-leaved philodendrons with some small-leaved vine-type plants is very attractive.
Ideal Growing Conditions For Philodendrons
It’s hard to tell which light is best for philodendrons since they can survive both extremes: the full sun or deep shade.
When this problem arises, follow the golden rule of the happy medium. After all, instead of testing their abilities, we prefer enjoying their luxurious foliage at its best.
Usually, the diffused light of a west or northwest window will be most suitable. A dark shade eventually produces weak growth; a direct, full summer sun may burn sensitive varieties.
Philodendrons need a great deal of humidity and water. However, in pots, they resent stagnant, water-logged soil due to overwatering.
Ample drainage in the bottom of the container and the soil mixture will help prevent overwatering.
Follow the rule not to water when the soil surface is still damp. Overwatering is especially harmful when temperatures are low.
Philodendrons are natives of the American tropics. Therefore, they like warm temperatures—try a range from 60° to 70° degrees Fahrenheit at night, with day temperatures 10° to 15° degrees Fahrenheit higher.
While philodendrons will grow strong, hardy, and compact in circulating air, they suffer from cold drafts in the winter when apartments are heated and snow outdoors.
To compensate for the dry air in heated rooms, place the plants in trays filled with pebbles and water and refill them with water whenever the level goes below the surface of the upper pebbles; this will help create some humidity in the immediate surrounding atmosphere.
Philodendron Maintenance and Care
Philodendrons are bothered comparatively little by insects and diseases.
When aphids, mealy bugs, or red spiders infest them, a mechanical cleaning by washing them in the bathtub is enough to rid them of the unwelcome intruders, but don’t get the soil too wet.
Yellow foliage and leaf drops may result from incorrect use of insecticides. However, leaf drops, yellow leaves, and brown tips on the leaves can also be signs of overwatering, lack of water, malnutrition, or advancing age.
Malnutrition is avoided by feeding properly. There are several ways of supplying food. To begin with, it is added to the soil mixture as slow solvent fertilizers or manures.
After this is absorbed, top dressing and liquid feeding are helpful. But when the plant is pot-bound, transplant.
No matter how well a philodendron has been grown, the bottom leaves will drop off. This is natural with age.
Philodendrons, like other fast-growing tropical plants, may eventually grow out of control. Then start over.
Propagating Philodendrons
Philodendrons are easily propagated either by eye cuttings or tip cuttings. Tip cuttings should not exceed 10″ inches or exceed four inches.
Make a clean, horizontal cut with a sharp knife below the third or fourth leaf from the top. This tip-cutting probably will have some aerial roots, which will turn terrestrial in the soil and will be able to take up water and food in a short time.
Rooted or not, philodendrons can easily be established in a small flower pot using a very light soil mixture for the start.
Keep cuttings in a closed and humid atmosphere without drafts or direct sunlight. When they are rooted and pot-bound, transplant them into a rich soil mixture.
Eye or Bud Cuttings
Eye or bud cuttings are made from long vines or parts of vines. While plants usually have buds in the crotch between the stem and the leaf stem, most philodendrons have their buds directly opposite this crotch on the other side of the stem. This bud is a growing center able to produce a new shoot, which will develop into a new plant.
Take advantage of this knowledge by making bud cuttings of a vine-type philodendron that has grown out of bounds. Cut the long vine halfway between each leaf (node).
These stem pieces are eye cuttings placed horizontally or vertically in a flat pan filled with a mixture of half sand and half peat moss.
Eventually, each cutting will send up a shot. After the young plants have grown three to four leaves, lift and pot them in a philodendron soil mixture.
New and Old-Timer Philodendron Cultivars
Some beautiful philodendrons have been introduced in recent years, either directly from the tropics or as hybrids from the country’s southern parts.
Philodendron selloum has been an influential parent for such excellent new Philos as:
- P. evansii
- P. barry
- P. johnsi
- P. São Paulo
- P. Seaside
- P. California type
- P. Fantasia
- P. Uruguay
All of them are either low-growing arborescent or self-heading varieties with delicately cut, deeply lobed, leathery, strong foliage. These new philodendrons have made a hit in southern California and Florida.
Some of them have even endured below-freezing temperatures. Among outstanding Florida creations are Florida and Florida compacta.
The latter is a compact, low-growing variety that hardly ever needs support. Laciniatum and squamiferum gave Florida compact red stems and deeply lobed leaves.
Wendlandii
Wendlandii, a native of Central America, has been known for many years as an excellent self-heading philodendron.
Its short-stemmed leaves form a bird’s nest-like rosette. It is no wonder that its compact growth and leathery strong leaves were why wendlandii created newcomers like Lynette, wendatum, and Wend-be.
Pittieri
Directly from the tropics eichleri, the king of Philos, pittieri, heart-shaped, and panduriforme, with leaves resembling a violin’s body, are new hits on the Philo parade. It took the commercial grower some time to build up an extensive propagating stock.
Sodiroi
Such an old-timer as sodiroi is being sold more than ever before. As a young plant, this species has red-stemmed leaves showing silvery, blotched variegation, a good reason for its renewed popularity.
Many more newcomers could be mentioned. Some of them are still undergoing tests and haven’t reached the market.
Outstanding Old-Timers
However, by no means forget the outstanding old-timers who made philodendrons so popular as house plants.
Philodendrons, which continue as best sellers whether in the florists, five and Ten, or supermarkets, are such reliable ones as hastatum, the best-known large-leaved vine type, and oxycardium, the small-leaved vine type, in the trade better known as cordatum for its heart-shaped leaves.
Known for variegated foliage or attractive texture are andreanum and verrucosum with satiny leaves and mamei, and variifolium with silvery variegation. Deeply lobed and finely cut leaves are assets to elegans, radiatum (dubium), and lacerum.
44659 by Valter Singer