Philodendrons hold top rank as indoor favorites in millions of homes and apartments nationwide.
In fact, if all the philodendrons produced each year in Florida alone were placed end to end, they’d wind around the earth a hundred times.
They enjoy such popularity because they grow luxuriantly despite poor light, dry air, fumes, and other hardships that plants encounter in today’s steam-heated homes.
Nearly all these millions of plants are of one species, Philodendron cordatum, the twining plant with heart-shaped leaves, and so to most people philodendron means P. cordatum.
However, some 250 philodendron species are native to tropical Central and South America, many of which can be grown indoors as easily as P. cordatum.
Few of them are known to gardeners, but in the past few years, a number have been brought to this countryósome directly from the jungles, others via European botanical collections.
Tree Lovers
Many philodendrons are climbers. The name implies this – “Philo” means love, and “dendron” means tree – tree lovers.
But non-climbing, self-heading species also form a rosette of leaves. I have seen giant, self-heading species in Brazil growing on the ground and forming large shrub like masses.
Climbing Types
In the climbing type, runners-up in popularity to P. cordatum are P. HASTATUM, P. DUBIUM, and P. IMBE. These are generally grown on totem poles or logs.
Interesting Species
Other interesting species readily available include:
- P. PANDURIFORME
- P. SODIROI
- P. CANNIFOLIUM
- P. MELINONI
- P. ILSEMANN
- P. TRIPARTITUM
- P. LACERUM
- P. LACINIATUM
- P. GLORIOSUM
- P. PITTIERI
Another species, as yet unidentified, which I brought back from Ecuador in 1928, has blood-red coloring on the back of the leaf, making the green veins stand out in contrast.
Temporarily it will be called FOSTER’S RED-BACKED LEAF philodendron. So far, little hybridizing has been done with philodendrons.
Philodendron x Mandaianum
However, one fine plant, P. x MANDAIANUM, which is proving very popular, has been developed.
Since the climbing species sometimes grow out of hand in the home, there has been a growing demand for the rosette type, which generally keeps within bounds and does not require a pole on which to climb.
These self-heading or non-climbing philodendrons have long been known to botanists and plant specialists, but they have not been readily available because of difficulty in propagation.
Non-Climbing Philodendrons
There are two types of non-climbing philodendrons: the small species found in trees in the jungles of Central and South America and the larger giants that grow on the ground in southern Brazil.
They are all handsome plants and have that unusual adaptability for the average home.
It is difficult to believe that the same self-heading philodendrons covering 60’ by 20’ feet in Brazil could become decorative additions to living rooms, conservatories, hotels, and theaters.
Giant Species
P. BIPINNATIFIDUM has a beautiful feathery, cut leaf among the giant species. Somewhat similar is P. SELLOUM, but it has a sprawling habit of growth compared to P. bipinnatifidum.
P. SPECIOSA is a rare but beautiful giant; the leaves are plain, not cut. P. EICHLERI is another giant with a wavy margin, which places it midway between the plain and cut-leaf types.
These last two are almost too large for the home but marvelous for the patio or southern garden.
In 1948 I brought back three magnificent self-heading species from Brazil: One was P. bipinnatifidum, another as yet unidentified with leaves less feathery, and the third was an unidentified species with thorns on the trunk.
Hybrid Types
A cross between the first two, called P. x FORSTERIANUM, has proven to be a hybrid with the finest qualities of both parents.
A recent introduction of the smaller, compact type is P. WENDLANDI. This plant forms a beautiful rosette that resembles the bird-nest fern in shape.
P. x ORLANDO is a cross between P. wendlandi and a climbing species not yet identified.
It has the compactness of its paternal parent and the spear-shaped leaf of its maternal parent.
Self-Heading Species
Another self-heading species, P. MELINONI is magnificent but still a collector’s item.
P. UNDULATUM, with heart-shaped leaves in a wavy cup, is a lovely addition to the self-heading types and is quite a contrast to the others in this group.
Philodendron Culture
As a group, philodendrons are not finicky plants. They like acid soil and some plant food; their leaves are washed occasionally.
Give them light but not full sunlight. They have few insect enemies; if their leaves are kept clean, they will vibrate beautifully.
The calla-like flowers have a simple, chaste beauty. They do not last long, but few flowers have a comparable interest.
Some species produce little honey glands on the outer surface of the flower, and sticky, resinous secretions appear on the inside. They may have fruity, spicy, or musky odors.
Monstera Deliciosa
Next to the philodendron in popularity is the decorative MONSTERA DELICIOSA, which is not a philodendron, although generally sold under the name of Philodendron pertusum.
One look at the flowers or fruits of philodendrons and monsteras will show even the layman that they are very different, although they both belong to the aroid family.
The aroid family has become one of the most popular foliage plant groups. Other well-known members include Chinese evergreens, dieffenbachias, syngoniums (nephthytis), and pothos.
44659 by Mulford B. Foster