Philodendron Care: Light, Trimming and Propagation
Philodendrons forgive a lot. They range from heart-leaf climbers and trailers to larger plants with deeply cut leaves, and most share the same care. This guide covers how to keep one full and healthy, when to trim it and how to turn a cutting into a new plant.
Light
Bright, indirect light. Direct sun scorches the leaves, especially on thinner-leaved types. Dim corners produce small leaves and leggy stems.
Water
Water when the top of the soil dries, and water thoroughly until some drains out. Overwatering is the most common problem, and it shows as yellowing leaves and a soft stem base.
Soil and pot
A well-draining mix with perlite or bark, in a pot with a drainage hole one or two inches wider than the root ball. Repot in spring when the roots fill the container.
Humidity and feeding
Average home humidity works. Keep it warm, between 60 and 80°F, away from cold drafts. Feed monthly in the growing season at half strength.
How to trim a philodendron
Trim leggy stems to keep the plant full. Cut just above a leaf node, the small bump on the stem where a leaf or aerial root attaches. The plant often branches from nodes below the cut, and the trimmings become new plants.
How to propagate a philodendron
Take a cutting with at least one node and one leaf. Root it in water or moist mix in bright, indirect light. Roots form in a few weeks. Pot it into mix once the roots are an inch or two long. Several cuttings in one pot make a fuller plant quickly.
Common problems
Too little light. Move closer to a bright window and trim.
Dry air or uneven watering.
Rot. Cut back to healthy tissue and let it dry.
Philodendrons at Palma
We grow 'Congo Rojo', with dark, red-tinged leaves, plus Brasil, Birkin, Velvet, Pink Princess, White Princess and Gloriosum. The rarer variegated types need a little more light to keep their color.
