The Philodendron has the second largest number of species in any genus in the Araceae family.
Though the specific number is unknown, Philodendrons usually have very large leaves and the appearance of leaves on a single plant can vary dramatically as maturation of Philodendron leaves does not occur uniformly across the plant.
The berries on Philodendron plants are often toxic. Philodendrons are native to the American tropics.
Although Philodendron plants don’t like complete sun or complete shade, they grow well in almost any light, and a slower than expected rate of growth can almost always be remedied by increasing the amount of light it receives.
Philodendron Plowmanii
Botanical Name: Philodendron Plowmanii
This is a fairly rare plant whose stem creeps across the ground before giving way to larger, Lily Pad-shaped leaves. These leaves are bicoloured, displaying a vivid green against which its veins are spread in a much deeper green. Plowmanii is glossy in texture, which makes it look very striking indeed in sunlight.
Plowmanii needs little human intervention for growth, but those in cooler climates should keep them indoors. They will not thrive in shade and should be kept in partial sunlight, as direct sunlight can cause sunburn. They like moist, nutrient-rich soils. They are likely to grow slowly without fertiliser tri-annually, but if the only fertilisers available are cheap, it is best to accept slow growth – cheap fertilisers, especially those with a lot of salt, can damage Philodendron roots.
Plant Care
Bright & indirect
Moist but not boggy. Once or twice a week
Free draining soil mix
Toxic, steer clear
Watch your back, this sneaky little plant is a creeper. Before you know it, it would have taken up resident along all your surfaces. Attack of the Plowmanii…
