Heart-Leaf Philodendron Plant Care
Common Name: Heart-Leaf Philodendron
Scientific Name: Philodendron scandens oxycardium
Lighting: Moderate
Watering: Moderate to Low
The Heart-leaf Philodendron is a great vining houseplant. I have had mine for over 6 years now and as you can see it has gotten quite large. Keep in mind, I have given this plant many "haircuts" as I call them and yet it is still healthy and big. The Heart-leaf Philodendron is characterized by heart shaped leaves growing off of vines from the plant. Leaves can be anywhere from 2 to 6 inches in diameter. The Philodendron requires little care but not none. This plant requires pruning care to keep its full appearance. One caution to be aware of, those with children. Some Philodendrons are toxic if eater, so be sure to keep them away from your pets and children.
Philodendrons prefer moderate to low light. If new foliage begins to develop smaller or the distance between leaves is larger in distance, your plant is most likely not receiving enough light. However, please be careful. Direct sunlight can burn the foliage.
This houseplant requires moderate to low water requirements. Try and keep the soil moist but do not allow it to dry out completely in between watering. If the foliage begins to turn yellow, you are probably over watering the plant. On the other hand if the foliage begins to turn brown you are not providing the plant with enough water. The Philodendron does not seem to mind lower humidity levels, however if you give a daily dose of misting to it, the plant will provide you with an even more beautiful appearance. Be sure to also keep the foliage clear of dust by washing regularly.
Many varieties of Philodendrons like to vine. As you can see from my pictures, vines can grow quite long, so trimming the plant back will not harm it. Trimming will help you shape this plant to the size you have for it. If you are looking to keep your plants current shape, be sure to trim back new growth. I have used small pins to hold my vines into place however some varieties of Philodendrons will actually product small roots, which will cling to your wall.
This houseplant provides you with the benefit of creating even more Philodendrons as you wish. Propagating is extremely easy. Simply cut off a vine that is long enough for you to place the end in water. Keep the cut stem in water for a few weeks and before you know it, your stem has produced a large amount of roots. Simply plant your new roots and your done. I tend to give my large philodendron haircuts a couple times a year. When I do, I place all my stems in a vase with water so they can root and I have a whole new Philodendron. The picture of the plant along the glass block wall is from one of my large plants haircuts.
This houseplant is toxic when eaten, so please keep out of reach of children and animals. It is one of the many poisonous houseplants you may have in your home.
Overall, this houseplant is one of my all time favorites. It's on my list of easy to grow houseplants! Plus they can add so much drama and character to any room. Best of all, you can have as many philodendrons as you want for little time and money!!!
Labels: air purifying houseplants, bathroom houseplants, easy to grow houseplants, poisonous houseplants
posted by drayas @ 8:30 PM
66 Comments:
HELP, my grandmother gave me a couple clippings and i didn't realize i should prune them regularly. now i have two long, leggy vines probably 5 to 7 feet each that only have 5 or 6 leaves at the very end. Will i kill it clipping it back now? Where do i clip it? How far down?
Finally, the piece i cut off, can i simply re-root them in a glass of water and replant them? THANK YOU, i don't want to kill it, i want it to be a beautiful memory of my grams! Michelle
Do you only have the 2 vines left, no other vines? If so, let's just try one first and get the new one going before clipping both. You said there is only leaves way at the end, so clip one of the vines back to a couple of inches from the beginning of the vine, since there are no leaves in between. Then keep a long enough tail on the cutting so you can easily put it in a vase / glass of water. You can trim the extra stem if there are no leaves once you have enough for your glass. Within a month, roots should form and you can repot the cutting. Then go ahead and do the other one.
I got the heart-leafed philodendron pictured from my Grandmother's funeral so I completely understand taking it slow. That's also why I continually take cuttings off it and start new plants, just in case, bugs or anything gets into one, I still can keep her memory!
Let me know how this works out!
I have trimmed back some of my vines and put them in water for 3 weeks now. I still don't have any roots at all. The plant is still very much alive and there is a new leaf that has been curled up for 2 weeks that hasn't opened yet. Do i need to do something else? How much longer should I wait for roots to show before putting it into potting dirt? Thanks for your help. -m
Just keep waiting. As long as you have the vines in water and you said they are healthy, so they're not dying, keep waiting. If you put the vines without roots in the dirt, they will probably die.
Please let me know how things work out.
Thanks,
drayas
I have a small philodendron from a cutting that I've started on a pole. There are about 8-10 leaves and it's growing wonderfully. Should I let it continue growing and develop more than one vine before I trim? When I do trim, how and where exactly? I'm always afraid I will cut the little guy's head off and kill the whole thing.
kmarcard,
How long is your one vine? I would wait until it gets long enough that you could cut at least a foot off. That way you have room to put it in water and such.
There really is no bad spot to cut. I always cut right after a leaf. That way the leaf makes the end you cut look nice until it starts growing again. Plus then you have a little more stem area for putting in the water.
Please let me know how things turn out.
Thanks,
drayas
looking for a Philodendron " Bloody mary" where I can fine or buy a vine, had one I lost after 15 yrs.Tankdad
My daughter gave me a seed for a flower for mothers day and it turned out to be a heart shaped philoderdron and it has one vine that is about 2.5 feet long and about 8 leaves. I was wondering it if I should prun it and start another vine to plant so it looks fuller. I don't know anything about these plants and need help.
Tammy
Tammy,
You could take a cutting off at this time. There really is no bad spot to cut. I usually cut right after a leaf. That way the leaf makes the end you just cut off look nice until it starts growing new leaves. Then with the extra stem area it's a little easier for putting in the water.
Once you take your cutting, please the cutting in water until roots form. Roots for me usually take about 1 month or so. Then when a nice group of roots has formed on your cutting, simply plant next to your other vine.
Please let me know how things turn out. I have taken many cuttings from my main plant with high rates of success.
Thanks,
drayas
I've been told that by trimming the vines the existing plant will become fuller at the base. Is this true? I would love my plant to be fuller but if I cut it will be sad and small and I don't want to cut it if it's not going to become fuller (it was recently given a "haircut" and made into two plants).
Hello,
Your plant will usually become fuller all around, not necessarily just at the base. Trimming allows more energy to be focused on new growth thus the fullness achieved. Maybe trim half of the plant and see if your desired fullness is achieved.
Thanks,
drayas
I have a plant that is 4 years old and when bought was in a half gallon container,now, it is 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide and simply GORGEOUS!!! My problem is I'm running out of room for it. I cut this one plant from the "MOTHER" plant and had 10 to 12 other plants to boot.I did put them straight into potting soil and left them in the shade,they rooted beautifully and now they need haircuts.I cut mine back to a "nuckle"as I call them and plant them straight away, So far this has worked for me and I just love having this old fashioned plant for myself. Happy Growing!
Your know you're taking care of your houseplants when you begin running out of room. Luckily I have a huge sunroom, that my Philodendron continues to overtake.
Thanks for reading,
Drayas
Thanks for the write up. I just received my philodendron from my aunt. She has had him for some time and he looks very good so I want to keep him that way! Nice to know he won't needs lots of sunlight as we live in a very shady home with only dappled sunlight coming in. Now to find him the perfect spot and give him lots of love. He needs a bit of a haircut too but that will wait for a bit I think. Gotta let him settle in first! LOL!
HELP!! I don't water my philodendrum that often, but
it seems I have a new crop
of yellow leaves daily to pick off. Sometimes there are dry brown patches on the yellow leaves too.
It is not in direct sunlight. It was so full when I bought it, but
now it is looking very thin. If it is not the watering problem, what could it be. Thanks
How often do you water the plant? It may be that the plant is not receiving enough water.
How long have you had the plant?
Let me know and I can try and help a little more.
Thanks,
drayas
I bought a philodendron about 3 months ago. It originally had a post in the middle that the vines were horridly wrapped around. They grew up, and then started growing back down. I put this in a hanging pot and untwined all the vines. I now have one extremely large vine and several very small yellow leaved ones. Do you suggest anything to make the base fuller and less homely looking?
I know the feeling. My Philodendron had the same problem. I re-wound the vines back up the main pole. Then I also gave it a "hair cut". Trim some of the very long vines to a more workable length.
The vines you cut off place in water and within a month or two they will root. Then you will have another plant, which you could start working up the pole to make the plant look fuller again.
Thanks,
drayas
My heart-leaf philodendron is about 8 years old. In the past few months, leaves have developed a white fuzzy substance and have begun dying. I wipe the fuzzy substance off, but it comes right back. I haven't changed the location or care in any way. The fuzz even shows up on new leaves while they are developing. Any ideas?
It sounds like your Philodendron has gotten infested with mealy bugs or a type of mold. Here's what you need to do.
1) If possible move it away from other plants so the mealy bugs don't spread.
2) Remove the white fuzz with rubbing alcohol on like a cotton swab. After a day or so, spray the entire plant with water, like a mist.
3) If that doesn't work, go to your local garden center and try a insecticidal soap.
Please let me know how things turn out.
Thanks,
drayas
I have a couple of philodendrons that are both doing great, but they are getting too big for the spaces they are in, and the vines are hanging down to the ground! I tried putting a nail in the wall above one of them, and hanging the one of the vines from that, but almost all of the leaves on that vine turned yellow about two days later- I took it down, and now that vine is doing fine...how can I help encourage the vines to grow up instead of down without killing it?
Bonnie,
Usually moving the vines to the wall doesn't affect the plant. Does it receive enough light on the wall? My sunroom has windows on all four sides and 2 skylights, so plenty of light comes in from all angles thus why mine seem to do so well on the walls.
To help move the plant off the floor, you can purchase a stake or use a stick and attach a few of the vines up the stick. That's how the philodendron pictured is done. If those vines stay healthy, then maybe try moving to the all again. Maybe they just need an adjustment phase. However, unless they are nailed to the wall, they won't continue growing up.
Philodendrons will actually attach themselves to the wall once established. But not until they've been up there for awhile.
Hope that helps.
Thanks,
drayas
Hey, I've really enjoyed reading all of your questions and answers - I know a lot more about my plant now than I did before, and am thus even more excited about it. But here is my problem. I have beautiful little philodrendon that I purchased about a year ago. I bought it specifically for the vining potential, but in the year that I've owned it, it has only produced about 5 new leaves, I'd say? None of the vines have gotten long enough to trail at all, they just stay close to the pot, because they are very short. But they are beautiful and green and healthy. My room gets no direct sunlight, because the sun is never up that high from the direction of my one window, but does get light all day long. I did put some plant foods sticks in it a few times during the summer months, but I don't know if they really did anything? I try not to over water, and it is always dry before I water it again, so maybe I should water it more? Or does it need a grow light, maybe? I'd like to try giving it more sunlight, but my roommates and I have cat, and the only room in the house I can really restrict him from is my bedroom, so I can't really try the plant in a new location. Thanks for any tips or suggestions!
Cheryl
Cheryl,
I would have to say your problem is probably the lack of light. My philodendron (the one pictured) I just cut down dramatically. The vine that were left have grown almost a foot in about 2 months.
Try a grow light. I wouldn't put the light directly next to the plant, but close.
Please keep me posted on if that works!
Thanks,
drayas
looks like this page is over a year old, but who knows.. you might still be responding =P
so ive had about 9 leaves sitting in a large bowl to root for 5 weeks now. some have grown a good network (4-5 roots), some have grown just one, and i have one stobborn leaf(the newest from the growing end of my vine clipping) hasnt sprouted a thing yet.
i was just wondering if there's a limit to how long you should leave them in water? since some of them have done very well, and i want to pot them all at once.
second question, is the one root good enough to go ahead and plant with? (like will it grow more eventually when potted)
thanks!
Mike,
I usually wait until all those I am about to plant have a good 4 or more roots. It doesn't seem to hurt them to let those with roots sit in the water longer waiting for the stragglers to grow roots.
You may be ok with just 1 root, but I'd probably just wait.
It's up to you though. Either way it won't hurt those with roots to sit in water longer and those without roots yet, you just have to keep waiting.
I have a bundle that have been growing in water for almost a year. They look really neat in the vase and I just haven't got around to potting them, so I haven't experienced a limit yet.
Happy growing,
drayas
My philodendron my mom gave me seems to not want to grow. The stems it has are great looking but they wont grow in length anymore,lso it is very thin and empty it wont bush, I have it in a nice size pot but it only takes up maybe 1/8 side of the pot. What can I do?? Any help is appreciated.
Hello,
Usually if the plant is thin, it means it's not receiving enough light. How far from a light source is it?
You can also try giving it some houseplant food once a month. I use Miracle Gro's Houseplant food concentrate. I just add it in the water.
Let me know about the lighting and we can go from there.
Thanks,
drayas
Hi,
I have a vine that is maybe 8 inches long I rooted it in water and it has not grown at all.I think it has 5 leaves on it and they are not big.What should I do to this thing?It has a great root system,it may be root bound in its Mason jar.
Hello,
Go ahead and plant your rooted vine in dirt now since it has got a good root base established. It seems water will only take the plant so far, then it needs nutrients from the dirt.
Let me know how that works out.
Thanks,
drayas
I could use some help... I took a cutting of my bosses plant and stuck it in water. It grew roots and did everything else it was supposed to. I planted it in a small dirt pot and now it has 7 leaves. However, it is just the one vine... and I am moving several states away and I want to take it with me... someone told me that it would be healthier if it has multiple stems to rely on. This same person said that if I stick the single stem back in the dirt, it will just grow another stem. Should I just take another cutting from my bosses plant or do something else? Also.. when you clip a vine... will it keep growing? Thanks soo much!
Hello,
Yes, you will only have one stem until you take additional cuttings. Your plant however will be just as healthy as one stem versus more. Each stem / vine is a plant on their own. New stems may grow from that one, but it typically takes awhile.
You can take more cuttings off your boss's plant if you want. The philodendron will grow where you cut it off, it just takes a little bit.
Please let me know if you have any other questions. This plant is my favorite and my baby. I have many!
Thanks,
drayas
Help! My philodendron (Phil, as I call him), dying. I water him about once or twice a week, depending on the temperature. All but one little vine has died. I tried pruning him back in order to start more plants. They never rooted. They appear to be rotting now. They have been in a glass of water for 2 months. Phil is about to be extinct, and nothing I am doing is working. Any suggestions??
I am so much worried for my four philodendron plant (one of them is 10 12 feet long)Can you please tell me that is there any thing i can buy to water the plant while I was gone for five weeks
I have four plants one of them is in big vase the leaf of this plant turning yellow.Is it possible that this is happening because I put too many vines the same vase.
Hello,
Putting too many in a vase as long as they have water should not be a problem. I've had a ton of cuttings in a vase at one time.
Now, are you asking if there is something to use to water the plant while you're gone? That I do not know, besides a neighbor.
Anyone know of any self watering devices for plants that work?
Thanks,
drayas
I have had my mother's philodendron for several years now, and recently I moved to a new apartment where there are no convenient places to hang Daphne (hope I'm not the only one who names my plants!) and I cannot put her on a counter/ledge/shelf because I also have an inquisitive feline. So for the time being, I have placed her out on my patio. She is basking in the sunlight (which is direct midday, but in relative shade the rest of the time) and the humidity has caused her to start growing beautifully. I have never seen such glossy leaves! However, when pruning another plant, I noticed that some of the new leaves, while large and glossy, are not brown or yellow, but very light green in color. Is there a possible cause to this that I could remedy, or do I not need to worry about it? (The normal color is a medium kelly green) Other than the pale color, the new leaves all look and feel healthy. Any insight would be appreciated.
I have a heart leaf philodendron with three leaves on it. its doing quite well but it has short roots, how do I help the roots grow longer?
Hi, I have a heart-leaf philodendron named "Twee." He is my first plant and he is doing great. I have had him for two months and he is growing two nice vines. How will I know when it is time to re-pot him into a bigger pot?
Tyler,
Do you give your philodendron any houseplant food? If not try once a month giving it some houseplant food. I use Miracle Gro's. I just add it to the water.
Thanks,
drayas
Hello,
I'm glad "Twee" is doing good. Typically when the plants roots start to become root bound, however Philodendrons, in my experience like to be root bound. I have had mine for 8 years now and have never repotted it.
If you start to see roots starting to pop out the soil, then repot, but you should be fine for awhile.
Thanks,
drayas
Please help with bare spots. I have 2 philodendron hanging baskets ... each about 10 - 12 feet long. I've had them for about 6-7 years. The leaves are very healthy, thick and strong. The problem is LONG bare spots on the vines. Is there any way to encourage leaf growth on a mature vine. The leaves at the end of the vine are great ... it's just that there's nothing but "rope" in between the plant and the end. When I wrap the vines up it's not too noticeable ... but wondering if I can get leaves to grow back. I've taken many clippings from these plants ... but I'd hate to cut off all their length.
Thanks, Debbie
Someone gave me philodendron clippings, I put them in soil after they rooted and they are just sitting there. They have not grown nor died. Am I doing something wron? Also the cat has nibbled a little and now I am worried about her. Please help. Thank you.
Josephine
Josephine,
How's your cat doing? If she only nibbled a bit on the plant, she should be fine. They sometimes aren't the fastest growers. My philodendron seems to go in spurts where it doesn't seem to grow much for a couple months and then all of a sudden grows really good.
You can try giving it some houseplant food for an extra boost, but other than that, if it's healthy I wouldn't mess with lighting or watering a whole lot.
Thanks,
drayas
We have several (10-15)Philodendrons in hanging baskets at our office. Our plant care guy was just laid off and I have inheritied this responsibility. I check the soil every 5 days before watering 1 inch down for dampness. If damp, I hold off for another 5 days.
First week I used tap water...now I use tap water that has sat in the watering can for a week (hopefully evapourating the bad stuff). The other guy used tap water, not sure if he used an additive.
It has been less than 3 weeks...leaves are yellowing, some are yellowing with brown spots and new leaves are withered looking.
I know...sounds like I am overwatering and i will watch more closely. I am worried about some of them near heating vents drying out. Coincidently...the heating season just started...not sure if that has any affect.
Any ideas for me...I am so worried that they will continue to yellow/die.
how often are we supposed to water the philadendron? i dont know what moderate to low means, i need numbers..
I need help. My plant has bugs. Little black winged bugs. What can I do? Where did they come from?
HELP!!! my cat knocked the pot that my philodendron was in off of the dresser that it was sitting on. (this was a few months ago) i have been trying to re root it but i am not haveing very much success. i have it in water and have been trying to keep it warm. there are not roots yet. could it be because the plant it's self is too long (5 feet) or is the plant just stressed. please help...the original clipping is from a plant that was given to my mom when she was pregers with me!
Hello!
I wrote to you a while ago about my philodendron named Twee. Twee is in good shape, generally. He is growing vines and sprouting new leaves, but every so often I find a leaf that has turned completely yellow.
I give him one cup of water a week on Fridays. I was misting him once a week but he developed more yellow leaves when I misted. My house is very dry, so I don't know if I should stop watering all together.
What do you suggest? Thanks in advance for your help!
Hello,
Yes, the yellowing usually means overwatering. I typically water mine every week in a half or so.
The heating vents may be causing the problem too. If possible I'd move those near the vents.
Thanks,
drayas
Hello,
Spray your plant with a soapy dishwater mixture twice a day. After a few days you should see the bugs starting to disappear. Keep spraying for at least a week.
If that doesn't do the trick, visit your local garden center for an insecticide.
-- drayas
Megan,
Simply keeping the cut off portion in water should cause it to root. That's how I do mine all the time. You could try snipping a few inches off the portion in the water and putting it back in the water. Otherwise cut another one foot section off the vine so you have two and they both should root.
Thanks,
drayas
Barbara,
I would keep watering. Occassion yellow leaves are common. At least I always have that. Now if a whole vine yellows, then there's something wrong.
Typically they like being misted, but if your yellows when you do so, I'd quit misting it.
-- drayas
hi i have been my phil since 1 year it was grew beautifully for first six months then it stop growing, started having yellow and brown leaves at the same time, last three months all leaves are freeze unopen leaves are still unopened and no progress some leaves are falling bcz they are becoming yellow or brown... pls help me i water my phil once a week..tell me what type of light it requires??shall i mist my plant each day???should i use tape water???or i should keep tape water for some days then water it?? how much(quantity)miracle gro's houseplant food i need to mix in water???it becoming thinner and thinner each day.. what thing can i do to make it growing faster help me thank for ur time
sameeraja,
Use distilled water. Untreated so no water softener. How far is it from a window?
Thanks,
drayas
I have a philodendron that is about 3 years old. It was in a pot with some other plants when I received it. Those have all died off over time and I was finally able to re-pot it last weekend. While re-potting, I noticed that it didn't have a very good root system on it, but I potted it anyway. It's never looked sickly in the past, even though it was in a pot with half-dead plants, so I figured it would be ok. A couple of days after re-potting, I noticed the leaves are starting to wilt -- not turning yellow or brown, just wilting. In a moment of panic, I took a cutting and put it in a glass of water this evening. But I'm not sure what to do about the main plant. What do you suggest? It's from my grandfather's funeral and I really don't want to lose it!
Hi, I rotted several cuttings. Can I plant 3-4 vines in one pot growing seperate ways as to fill the container out more quickly?? Or will that be too much root systems?? Thanks a bunch.
I am new at house plants. My philo plant is growing wild in a small pot and need repotting. How to do I repot with the same soil? What new soil should I use. Also, one vine has two other vines coming from it an done of the vines is hanging from pot about 8 ft long and in between are no leave and another section has 6 leaves. In between the empty leave, can it be cut? Hen
How do I repot a philo plant?
I've heard that philodendrons like to be fed coffee and actually grow better when given some.Have you heard of this?I am too scared to try it on mine before getting some feedback about it.
Hello,
I have inherited a heart-leaf philodendron with my office space, and it is not well. It was in direct sunlight (since been moved), and has both yellow and brown (crispy) leaves so I don't know if it's been over- or under-watered. Lots of vines (7-10), about 5-7 feet long, but not many leaves left, the ones that are left are middle to end on the vines, beginning about 2 feet away from the pot. The soil was rock-hard but is now moist. The pot is packed with roots, but I'm not sure if I should re-pot it in it's delicate condition. Do they like to be re-potted and do they like lots of space? Any particular soil addition you could suggest? This plant needs to be rescued, looking forward to your advice. :)
Help! I have these bumps, first sort of beige and oval shaped turning brown, all over my plant. They are very small and I am not sure how to kill them. No insects appear and it hasn't stopped the plant from growing like crazy. What is this and how should I treat it? Thanks!
For some reason some of the leaves are falling off my plant...looks like it had been burned off or something...is it because of too much sunlight?
Hi,
I've enjoyed reading all these comments and learning new things. I have several philodendrons and have been growing them for over 20 years.
I noticed a few people are concerned about growing these plants when they have cats. Well, I've had cats for as long as my plants and they're very smart animals - at one point I had about a dozen plants in the house but my cats would constantly eat them and chew all the leaves off. These plants had to be passed on to my neighbor to save them. Interestingly, the only plants my cats won't touch are the philodendrons.
Unlike children and dogs, cats think before eating things.... they instinctively know which foods are harmful. Please don't worry about poisoning your cats - they'll be fine. If they do ingest something harmful from a plant, they will vomit.
Anyway, good luck with both,
Vanessa.
My mother has a plant that has been living for over 50 years. She started it when I was about 7 years old. I just turned 58 in Asugust. She let it run around the top of the living room wall, one vine in each direction from the pot. The two vines eventually met on the ofther side of the living room. I took about 10 years. Anyway, the same plant, we call it the "Mother Plant" has been growing and has benn trimmed every year since it was taken down form the living room wall. My Daughter, grand-daughter and serval other family and friends have received clippings from this "Mother Plant".
Thanks for your article. I just wanted everyone to know that these plants can live forever if given good care.
KOALA
Can you plant a Philodendron cutting in a glass vase? If so how is that done? I have several wonderful cuttings and would like to give them as Christmas gifts.
nini
my phioldrodren just started turning yellow all a sudden i have to stems about 6 feet long and one close to the root has just started yellowing and dieing what shall I do
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