How To Care For A Philodendron Plant

Philodendron Highlights

Family	Araceae
Light	Partial Sunlight
Water	Once per week
Temperature	65-85° F
Mature Size	1-20 Feet
Soil Type	Well-Draining, Rich
Toxicity	Toxic to People/Animals
Native Area	Central/South America
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Summary from Customer Reviews

I went through customer reviews for a bunch of different philodendron plants and summarized them for you:

Overall, people love philodendron plants. Many people that collect philodendron plants seem to have a list of different philodendron species that they want to collect. I didn’t find a single philodendron species that had consistent complaints.

The most positive and consistent reviews I came across talk about the health and beauty of the philodendron. They are generally pretty easy to keep healthy. Depending on which philodendron you get, they can be striking house plants.

Some of the negative reviews are more based around how expensive the plants are. The rare philodendron species can certainly get expensive. The good news is that there are a lot of species that aren’t rare and are reasonably priced.

Another thing I wanted to note was the number of beginner plant owners that reviewed the philodendrons. So many of the reviews said that this was one of their first house plants, and that they are having an easy and awesome time taking care of their plants.

A good portion of the reviews mentioned that they would recommend philodendron plants to both beginner and expert plant owners. For beginners, they’re just easy plants to care for. For experts, there are so many different species to choose from, and the hunt to find some of the rare species can be really fun and rewarding.

How Easy/Difficult Is A Philodendron To Care For?

Philodendrons are really easy to care for. It’s an awesome beginner plant if you’re new to plant keeping, but it’s also a great option if you’re experienced.

They do have some basic water and light needs as any plant does, but they’re really forgiving, which is a big reason why they’re easy to take care of. The biggest thing is to read your plant to determine if you need to change its care in any way.

Philodendron Care

Light

Giving your philodendron partial sunlight is the best way to go. You don’t want it to bake in the sun, but it does need adequate sunlight to be in tip top shape.

Put your plant near a window that gets a fair amount of sunlight during the day. If the window gets a lot of direct sunlight, keep the plant a few feet away from the window. If the window mostly gets partial sunlight, then you can put your plant right up next to the window.

This is a good starting point, but you need to read your plant. If it’s getting too much sun exposure, you’ll notice the leaves getting lighter and turning yellow.

If it’s not getting enough sunlight, growth will slow down, and you’ll most likely notice some discoloration of new leaves.

Water

There isn’t a set schedule that you need to stick to when watering your philodendron. I’m going to sound like the broken record, but it’s all about reading your plant.

The best way to determine when it needs water is to check its soil. If the top couple inches are dry, then you should go ahead and water the plant. If it’s still moist, then hold off on watering for now.

Generally, you’ll end up watering your philodendron about once every week. It’s more important to check the soil than to stick to a once a week schedule though.

You’ll notice that the leaves will droop or curl if you’re off on its water needs. If you notice this, keep an eye on the soil to determine if you’re watering it too much or too little and then adjust accordingly.

Soil

Using a rich, organic soil is the best option with the philodendron. Choosing a soil that’s loose and airy is best as well.

Temperature and Humidity

Philodendrons are tropical plants, so they benefit from a warmer, more humid climate. Keeping them in your regular house temperature is almost always going to be just fine. Just make sure they stay above 50-55 degrees.

They also like the humidity, so the more humidity you can give it, the quicker it will grow. It doesn’t necessarily cause issues if you’re not in a humid climate, so don’t worry if you don’t live in a humid area. The plant just likely won’t grow quite as quick.

Fertilizer

For fertilizer, you’ll want to use a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer for philodendrons. The frequency will depend on the season, but again reading your plant is always going to be important.

In the growing season, fertilizer somewhere in the ballpark of once per week. That’s a great starting point to see how the plant handles it. If you notice it’s not growing very fast, you could try every 2 or 3 weeks to see if that helps.

In the winter time you could fertilize it a little bit less. Every 2 or 3 months works pretty well for philodendrons.

Philodendrons are really forgiving plants, so if you’re off on the fertilization, you can usually correct it pretty easily. Keep track of the health of the plant and how quickly it’s growing, then make adjustments accordingly.

Propagating

Philodendrons are one of the easier plants to propagate.

Take a cutting below a node, throw it in some water, and it should grow roots pretty quickly. Wait for it to get a few inches long before putting it in any kind of soil. Once you get it put in soil, make sure it’s getting adequate water and sunlight and you should be good to go.

Pruning

Pruning the philodendron is a pretty simple task. In most cases the primary benefit is just removing old, discolored leaves that don’t look great so that the plant visually looks better.

However, it does have some health benefits for the plant as well. If there are pests or any kind of disease, removing yellow or brown leaves can help them from spreading.

You don’t need to give philodendrons too much attention when it comes to pruning. Just take a look at your plant every once and a while and determine if there are any yellow or brown leaves you want to remove.

Potting

There’s not too much to note as far as potting philodendrons. Just use one size bigger pot when it outgrows its current pot.

You may notice roots coming out of the soil when the plant needs to be repotted. Just keep an eye on the plant. It will be pretty clear when you need to transfer your philodendron to another pot.

Common Problems

Yellowing/Brown Leaves: There are a lot of different things that can cause yellowing or brown leaves. The main things to pay attention to are how much light and water the plant is getting. If you’re certain it’s getting an appropriate amount of light, then consider the temperature the plant is in as that could play a role.

Too Much/Too Little Light: If your philodendron isn’t getting the right amount of light, you’ll notice some of the current leaves turning brown or yellow, or the new leaves will be discolored.

Too Much Water: Plants are easy to over-water and philodendrons are no different. When plants show that they’re having issues, most people reach for more water, which isn’t always the best option. Make sure that you’re not completely drowning your plant with water. Check and make sure the top couple inches of soil are dry before watering the plant.

Too Much Fertilizer: Philodendrons don’t need to be fertilized a ton. In the spring and summer fertilize it about once a month, and drop down to once every 2 to 3 months in the winter.

Temperature is Too Cold: Philodendrons shouldn’t be in temperatures under 50-55 degrees. One easy mistake to make is keeping the plant too close to a window in the winter. Your house may be 65-70 degrees, but if your plan is right up against the window, it may be too cold.

FAQS

Are philodendrons easy to care for?

Yes, philodendrons are easy to care for. The most important pieces are to make sure they are getting the right amount of sun and water.

Do philodendrons prefer sun or shade?

Philodendrons prefer partial sunlight. They should receive sunlight, but not direct sunlight.

Do philodendrons like to climb?

It depends on the philodendron species. Some are climbers, and some are not.

Do philodendrons like to be misted?

Yes, philodendron plants like to be misted. They are tropical plants, so they love the humidity.

How often do you water a philodendron?

You should water your philodendron when the top couple inches of the soil are dry. This will usually be about once every week or so.

How hard is it to keep a philodendron plant alive?

It’s very easy to keep philodendron plants alive. The great thing about them is that they bounce back very quickly. If you’re giving them too much or too little water or sunlight, all you need to do is make adjustments and they bounce back in no time.

Are philodendron plants good for beginners?

Philodendrons are great plants for beginners. They are also good plants for experienced plant owners too, because of the number of interesting and unique species.

Where is the best place to keep a philodendron?

The best place to keep your philodendron plant is next to a window. If the window receives direct sunlight, keep it a few feet away from the window. If it receives indirect sunlight, keep the plant right up next to the window.

How do I know when my philodendron needs water?

If the top 2 inches of the soil are dry, then you should water your philodendron.

What does an overwatered philodendron look like?

You’ll notice yellow, brown, or wilting leaves when you’re overwatering your philodendron.

Fun Facts

There are 489 different species of philodendron plants. There are a bunch of really rare species that most plant owners would love to get their hands on.
Philodendron plants are native to Central and South America.
Philodendrons can grow anywhere from 1-20 feet tall depending on the species.
Philodendron plants can live for decades if they’re properly cared for.
The Greek meaning of philodendron is “loving trees”. Philo – ‘Love’, Dendron – ‘Trees’.

Pros and Cons of Philodendrons

Pros

Really easy to care for
Great beginners
So many unique and beautiful species
A lot of care guides and information on them

Cons

Some species are rare and very expensive
They should be kept indoors for the best possible care
They’re toxic to both people and animals
They’re tropical plants, so if you’re not in a humid area, they won’t grow quite as fast

Types of Philodendron Species

There are almost 500 different species of philodendron plants. Here are just a few of my favorites: