Philodendrons are forgiving and fast-growing once settled. Give them bright indirect light, an airy mix, steady humidity, and something to climb if they're a climbing type. The main thing to know is whether yours climbs or crawls, because that changes how you pot and support it.
Climbers vs. crawlers
- Climbers (like Billietiae, Melanochrysum, Pink Princess and Florida Ghost) grow up a support and make bigger leaves as they climb. Give them a moss pole, coir pole, or plank.
- Crawlers (like Gloriosum, Mamei and Plowmanii) creep along the soil surface. Plant them in a long, shallow pot with the stem sitting on top of the mix, not buried, or the stem can rot.
Light
Bright, indirect light keeps leaves big and stems compact. An east window, a spot a few feet back from a south or west window, or a grow light for 12–14 hours a day all work. Too little light causes small leaves with long gaps between them. Direct midday sun can scorch the leaves.
Using a grow light: a full-spectrum LED on a timer for 12–14 hours a day, about 12–18 inches above the leaves, keeps Philodendrons compact with big leaves. Give variegated types like Billietiae Variegated or Pink Princess plenty of light, but keep them 18–24 inches away so the pale areas don't scorch.
Water
Water thoroughly when the top 1–2 inches of mix are dry, and let the extra drain out. Philodendrons handle a little dryness better than soggy roots. Water less in winter, when growth slows.
Soil and pot
Use a chunky aroid mix of roughly equal parts orchid bark, perlite and coco coir or peat. Always use pots with drainage holes. Move up one pot size when roots fill the pot, usually every 12–18 months.
Starting from a plug: pot the whole plug into a 2–3 inch pot with its top level with the mix, or keep it in a plug holder or tray for a few weeks. Don't break the plug apart. Plugs dry out fast, so check them every 2–3 days and water from below.
Humidity and temperature
Most Philodendrons do well at 50–60% humidity, but velvet-leaf types like Melanochrysum and Gloriosum prefer 60–70%+ for clean new leaves. Keep temperatures between 65 and 85°F and away from cold drafts.
Fertilizer
Feed every 2–4 weeks in spring and summer with a balanced fertilizer at half strength. Feed less often, or not at all, in winter.
Give climbers something to climb
Add a pole when the plant starts to lean or reach. Gently tie the stem to it with plant ties or Velcro, with the aerial roots facing the pole. Keeping a moss pole damp encourages the roots to grab on, which leads to noticeably bigger leaves.
Variegated Philodendrons
Variegated plants like Billietiae Variegated or Pink Princess have less green to make energy, so they grow slower and need brighter light than their all-green versions.
- Reversion: if new leaves come in all green, the plant may be reverting. Prune the stem back to the last leaf with good variegation, and the next growth point will usually come back variegated.
- Browning on white or pink areas is common and comes from too much direct sun or low humidity. Those areas can't recover, but new leaves will be fine with the right conditions.