How to care for philodendron at home

Philodendron is one of the most common plants grown indoors. This is explained by the beauty of the appearance of the flower and the fact that caring for philodendron is simple, even an inexperienced gardener can handle it.

Description of the plant

Under natural conditions, philodendron grows in Australia, Mexico and the tropical forests of South America. The genus Philodendron is diverse: vines, subshrubs, terrestrial plants, semi-epiphytes, epiphytes - more than four hundred species of philodendron are known.

The root system of representatives of the genus is highly branched and located close to the surface. On the stem at the base, aerial roots are formed at the internodes, the function of which is to attach to the support and supply the plant with nutrients.

The stem is thin, its length varies from a couple of centimeters to two to three meters. From below, the shoot becomes lignified over time, becoming covered with brown bark. In mature plants, the wood is dense, so there is no need for support.

The leaves grow alternately, are located on petioles, in some cases the length of the leaf plate is two meters. During the life cycle, the leaf shape of one plant can change more than once; it can be oval, dissected, arrow-shaped or palmate. Different species have leaf blades that are different in structure, structure, shape and color.The color varies from brown with a red tint to green, and there are variegated species.

In addition to ordinary leaves, philodendron grows cataphylls - small leaf plates in the form of scales, the function of which is to protect vegetative buds. When the leaves fall on the stem, dimples remain in the place where the petioles were attached.

The philodendron inflorescence has the appearance of a cob up to 25 cm long. When the plant blooms, from one to eleven inflorescences are formed on it, which are placed separately or in groups.

The philodendron fruit is a berry that takes up to one year to mature. A ripe berry is yellow, white or greenish in color; inside it there are seeds, dense and very small.

Types and varieties of homemade philodendron

Some types of philodendron grow to very large sizes and are used to decorate large halls, lobbies, and winter gardens. Others are compact and perfect for growing in a home or apartment.

Popular types and varieties:

Philodendron warty. It is distinguished by soft shoots that spread along the surface of the soil. The petioles on which the leaves are located are strewn with warty bristles. The leaf blades are velvety, heart-shaped, up to 20 cm long, about 10 cm wide, dark green in color, with a bronze-brown pattern spread along the veins. The inflorescence is closed by a yellowish petal, approximately 7 cm long. The species does not tolerate dry indoor air.

Philodendron bipinnate and Philodendron Sello - two different types, but very similar to each other, which is why they are often confused. Large plants with emerald color, deeply cut glossy leaves up to 70 cm long.Sello is considered the most decorative of the large philodendron species and is suitable for growing at home, growing up to two meters in height. It blooms extremely rarely, but very beautifully, the flower is up to 8 cm long, yellow inside, green outside.

Philodendron blushing. There are several varieties of this species on sale: Red Emerald, Medusa, Burgundy, Mandianum. Not very large (fragile, thin shoots reach 1.8 m), elegant plant, peculiarity - dark red petioles and the lower part of the leaves (insufficient light leads to loss of bright color). Leaf blades are up to 30 cm long, up to 25 cm wide, green, shiny, arrow-shaped. When growing, the species needs support. Over time, the shoots become lignified and become a thick vertical trunk.

Philodendron climbing. It is a flexible vine with thin stems and large dense heart-shaped leaves of dark green color, 15 cm long and 10 cm wide. Plants of the species are often used as hanging plants, they are characterized by fast, good growth, they can be grown in shaded places, and take root well in hanging baskets.

Philodendron ivy. A creeping plant with a stem up to 6 m long, on which leaves are arranged in a regular order, heart-shaped, dark green, up to 30 cm long, glossy or leathery. The inflorescence spadix is reddish, surrounded by a greenish veil.

Philodendron atom. It is compact, grows slowly, and requires complex care. The decorative effect of the flower is provided by bright five-fingered wavy green leaves with a shiny surface. The length of the leaf plate reaches 30 cm.

Philodendron guitarum. This is a liana that loves high humidity and grows up to two meters in length. The flexible stem needs support. The leaves are dark green, shiny, and young ones are shaped like a heart, which tapers over time, turning into something like a guitar.

Evans Philodendron. It has a very impressive appearance thanks to its foliage: young leaves are brownish-green with green veins, over time the brownish tint disappears. The leaf blades grow up to 80 cm long and 50 cm wide.

Philodendron lobed. A liana with a thick flexible shoot on which petiolate, ovoid leaves of dark green color grow. Over time, the leaf plates become dissected, initially into three, and later into five parts, reaching a length of 40 cm.

Philodendron radiata. An undemanding vine that grows very quickly. Its length can reach three meters. The leaves are dissected, hard, up to 20 cm in length.

Philodendron xanadu. Woody species, undemanding to air humidity and light, but the leaves will be beautiful only if these indicators are at the optimal level. Can bloom indoors. The leaves are bright, green, up to 40 cm long, and become feathery over time.

Philodendron is elegant. It has one large, flexible shoot and oval, wide leaves up to 70 cm long. The leaf blades are dissected and dark green in color. The inflorescence is wrapped in a creamy-green petal with a pink border. Suitable for growing in large rooms or greenhouses.

Philodendron scandens. Grows excellently in partial shade and shade, has flexible, climbing shoots. The leaves are heart-shaped, glossy, 9 to 16 cm long.

Philodendron is golden-black. A plant with velvety beautiful leaves of a dark green color with golden veins; the leaf blades are red on the underside. For good development, the flower will need to create good lighting and provide high air humidity, which is often difficult in an apartment. For this reason, the plant is more often found in greenhouses.

Philodendron imperial. It has 2 varieties: imperial red and imperial green. Forms a stem with short internodes. The leaves are large, collected in a rosette with a diameter of up to 1 m. Young leaves of the red variety are intense red (in insufficient light the color fades), the green variety has green leaves. The species tolerates very dry indoor air well.

Philodendron imperial

Home care

Taking care of philodendron is not difficult; the gardener does not need any special skills or knowledge. It is necessary to take into account that over time the flower increases significantly in size and will need space.

Advice
In the summer heat, spray the flower more often and ventilate the room.

Lighting. The plant grows well in close proximity to a western or eastern window. The light should be bright, but diffused. Direct sunlight often causes burns, and if the room is too dark, the leaves will lose their bright color.
Temperature. The optimal mode for philodendron is from +17 to +24° C. The plant does not tolerate drafts and sudden changes in air temperature. During the winter months, the thermometer in the room should not fall below +13° C.
Humidity. Philodendron grows best if the air humidity is high, for this reason, spray the crown of the flower with a spray bottle daily.It would not be superfluous to place saucers with wet expanded clay or water next to the pot. Shower the plant regularly, as dust accumulated on the leaves makes gas exchange difficult. Some varieties of philodendron are extremely sensitive to dry indoor air (for example, warty).
Watering. The plant needs frequent and abundant watering. The water should be well purified and warm. Immediately drain excess liquid from the pan. The soil should not turn into a swamp, but it must be kept moist at all times. If the air temperature is low (about +13° C), stop watering.
Priming. The soil mixture should be breathable and loose, as some species live on trees. The acidity is preferably neutral or slightly acidic.
Feeding. Fertilize the soil mixture from May to September, from two to four times a month (there should be from 6 to 12 feedings per season, that is, approximately once every 2 weeks). As a fertilizer, use an organic compound, highly diluted with water (30-50% of the usual dosage). The rest of the time, feed the plant 1 or 2 times a month with a mineral complex. Young plants planted in fertile soil need feeding much less often.

Advice
To protect the plant from rot, add a little charcoal and moss to the soil.

Heavy soil is contraindicated for philodendron. There are several options for soil mixtures in which the flower will grow and develop excellently:

pieces of pine bark, sand or perlite, lowland peat and garden soil;
turf and leaf soil, sand;
purchased ready-made substrate designed specifically for growing philodendron.

Be sure to place a layer of expanded clay or broken brick at the bottom of the pot, this way the plant will be provided with good drainage.

Advice
Variegated types of philodendron cannot be fed with complex fertilizers, which contain large amounts of nitrogen.

Home care involves ensuring optimal temperature, lighting, humidity and frequency of watering.

Reproduction and transplantation

At home, philodendrons bloom in very rare cases; propagation from seeds will require several plants; for this reason, planting is done vegetatively. To do this, take apical and stem cuttings with 2-3 internodes, place them horizontally on sandy-peaty soil and bury them at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Cover the container with the cuttings with plastic wrap and leave at a temperature of 25° C. The roots will appear within 7-30 days.

Advice
Rooting will occur much faster if there are aerial roots at the internodes of the cuttings.

Species with woody stems (for example, xanadu) reproduce by horizontal layering. To do this, damage the bark on the side shoot, then wrap it with sphagnum, which must be periodically moistened. After the roots appear (after 2-3 weeks), cut off the shoot and plant it in a separate container.

Relocate the plant at least once every 3 years, the optimal time is February, March. Renew the top layer of soil in the container annually. Philodendrons feel great in a cramped pot, so choose a compact container for replanting.

Immediately after planting, place the plant in a shaded area and reduce watering. Adaptation of the flower to the changed growing conditions will occur in 2 weeks.

Diseases and pests

If optimal conditions are created for the growth and development of philodendron, then it is not damaged by pests. The main enemies of the plant are thrips, scale insects, mealybugs, spider mites and aphids. They all settle on leaves.

Advice
To get rid of pests, purity-en.htgetrid.com magazine recommends removing insects using a sponge soaked in soapy water. Rinse off any remaining soap with clean warm water.

Severe pest infestation is eliminated with a solution of karbofos (take 20-30 drops of the product per 1 liter of water). After a week, repeat the treatment.

A mustard solution will help get rid of insects sucking plant juices. Take 60 g of spice, dissolve in 1 liter of water and leave for three days. Before use, dilute the resulting infusion with 20 liters of water.

Useful tips

Recommendations from experienced gardeners will help you timely identify and eliminate errors in caring for philodendron:

Yellowing of the leaves of the plant is a consequence of excessive watering. As a result of overwatering, stem rot occurs. The flower will have to be replanted, watering must be reduced.
If the leaves turn yellow, but stem rot is excluded, then the plant is experiencing a lack of nutrients.
Pale leaf color indicates excess sunlight.

How to properly care for Fittonia at home