If you are a philodendron fanatic like me you have likely heard of Philodendron splendid, also known as Philodendron verrucosum x melanochrysum. If you haven’t heard of it, please allow me to introduce you to this incredible hybrid. Philodendron splendid was created by mixing Philodendron verrucosum and Philodendron melanochysum. These plants are both native to Ecuador and the understory of the rainforest.
In this article, we will dive into all things Philodendron splendid. From care requirements to pricing, and where to buy, we’ve got you covered.
Contents
Philodendron Splendid: Complete Care Guide
Temperature
The ideal temperature for Philodendron splendid is between 65-80 degrees. These plants are from the rainforest, but they are almost always shaded. This means that while they may be exposed to warmer temperatures, they are very rarely as hot as we would expect when thinking of the rainforest.
While it should be relatively easy to maintain these temperatures indoors, if you keep your plant outdoors you will want to bring it in on cold days and extremely hot days as extreme fluctuations can stress and even damage your plant.
Humidity
Philodendron splendid prefers to be kept in moderate to high humidity. If you live in USDA growing zones 9-11 you can probably accomplish this outside from spring-fall. If, however, you want or need to keep your plant indoors, it’s unlikely your home will naturally have enough humidity. You can supplement your humidity in a few ways.
Humidifier
The easiest, most foolproof method of raising humidity is a humidifier. As long as you can remember to fill up the tank, a humidifier can do the rest of the work, keeping your Philodendron splendid happy.
The downside of humidifiers is that the fancier ones are a bit pricy, but so are Philodendron splendid, so it’s an investment that will keep your other investment happy.
Pebble Tray
One of my favorite methods of raising humidity is the pebble tray. You can DIY your own pebble tray relatively inexpensively or you can go all out and make it extra fancy. Whatever suits your wallet and your decor. Personally, I usually use a simple plastic tray and fill it with decorative stones. Either river rock or pea gravel.
I fill the tray with pebbles just below the top of the tray and then I fill the tray with water to just below the top of the pebbles. Place your plant pot on top of the stones and, as your water evaporates, humidity will reach your plant.
Misting
I’m not a huge fan of misting, but it is a method many plant keepers swear by. If you are a beginner, I would stick with the humidifier or the pebble tray, but if you are experienced at reading plants, you should be able to safely utilize misting as a means of increasing humidity.
Create a mini environment
Since plants are constantly emitting water into the air, you can create a tiny microenvironment for your plant by placing several humidity loving plants together. As they all release water into the air, they provide each other with humidity.
While this method can work well in most homes, if you live in a particularly arid region you may need to use it in conjunction with another method.
Signs your plant needs more humidity
If you notice the tips of the leaves of your plant are starting to dry out or look crispy, this is due to not having enough humidity. Since the tips of the leaves are the last part of the plant to receive water from the roots, they are also the first to dry out when there isn’t enough water in the air.
Light
Philodendron splendid do best in bright indirect light. Since they are from the understory of the rainforest, they generally spend most of their lives in the wild getting dappled light and light that is filtered down through the leaves of other trees. For these plants to thrive in captivity with us, they need to get similar lighting.
To give your plant bright indirect light, you can place it in an east-facing window, or on the other side of the room in a south or west-facing room.
If you are concerned about whether your plant is or isn’t getting enough light, don’t worry your plant will let you know. Symptoms of too much direct light are burnt leaves, while symptoms of not enough light are a lot less definitive. They can be leggy growth toward the light source, yellowing leaves, poor water absorption, wilting plant.
If your plant isn’t getting enough light and you don’t want to move it or you don’t have anywhere brighter for it to go you can purchase a plant grow light to provide it with additional light. When looking for a plant light, you will want to find a full-spectrum fluorescent light. These are usually available at big box stores, plant specialty stores, and online.
Water
When it comes to watering your Philodendron splendid, you never want the soil to completely dry out. Instead, allow only the top 1-2 inches to dry before providing water. This usually equates to watering roughly 1-2 times per week in spring – fall and every week or every other week in the winter.
It is very important that you make a watering schedule based on your plant’s needs and not necessarily what care sheets say.
While my splendid may need watering every 3 days, yours may need it every 2 or every 5. Each house has different humidity levels, light levels, and temperatures, so it’s hard to predict exactly what your plant will need before you get to know it.
Always check the soil of your plant before watering. Philodendrons are prone to getting root rot if their soil is too wet for too long. If you think your plant may have root rot, it’s important you check immediately. Gently remove your plant from the pot and rinse the roots.
Healthy roots will be firm and white, while rotten roots will be dark brown or black and mushy. Remove the rotten roots with clean shears.
Then place your plant back into its pot and fresh soil. As long as there are some healthy roots left, your plant should bounce back rather quickly. If there weren’t any healthy roots left, you may need to propagate your plant into cuttings to try and save it.
While overwatering can be deadly, underwatering is also detrimental. An underwatered philodendron can end up with yellow, wilting, or curling leaves, dropped leaves, and hydrophobic soil. If your soil is hydrophobic or repelling water, you will want to rehydrate it slowly.
This is best done by placing the pot into a larger container and filling it up with water to about halfway up your plant’s pot. The water will be slowly absorbed through the drainage hole. I usually start this process before bed and then remove my plants in the morning after they have had plenty of time to hydrate.
Soil
Philodendron splendid prefers rich, well-draining soil. Ideally, a mixture of 1 part potting soil, 1 part sphagnum moss, and 1 part perlite. I use FoxFarms brand of potting soil, but you can use whatever brand you prefer that fits into your budget.
Repotting
It is a good idea to repot your Philodendron splendid annually in the spring. Check your plant’s root ball. If it seems to be outgrowing your current pot, you will need to update it to one that is one size larger. If not, you can just replace the soil and place the plant back in its original pot.
When selecting a pot for your Philodendron, you will want to choose one that has a drainage hole. Terra cotta pots actually work great as they are porous and will wick moisture from your plant’s soil, preventing overwatering and root rot.
You will also want to leave room for a moss pole. Since philodendrons are naturally vining plants with upward growth, they need something they can grow on. While you can use a trellis or a stake, moss poles are really a superior choice.
When purchasing moss poles, you will want to select one that is made of PVC covered hardware cloth or netting and that uses a filler of sphagnum moss. I am not a fan of the PVC pipe wrapped with coconut mat poles as the plants do not do as well on them.
The aerial roots of Philodendron really enjoy growing into the damp sphagnum moss a lot more than wrapping around coco husk.
Propagation
The best way to propagate Philodendron splendid is through stem cuttings. You will want to use clean shears to make your cuts to prevent bacteria from getting into the plant.
When making your cuttings, you can either cut off a long section and then segment them into individual leaves and nodes, or you can cut off one node at a time. You will only want to try rooting one leaf per node as multiple leaves can dry out before roots form and the cutting is able to absorb water.
There are a bunch of different mediums you can use when propagating cuttings. I have the most popular listed below.
Water
Water propagation will forever be my favorite. I have had the most success with this and I would say my success rate is near 97%. To water propagate you will place the node of the cutting into water and have the leaf sticking out.
When doing this, I always use my fish tank, so I don’t have to worry about changing the water, but if you don’t have a fish tank you will need to change your water every 3-4 days to prevent stagnation and rot.
With luck, your cutting should have roots in just a few weeks, but as long as the node isn’t rotting, don’t worry if it takes longer. I’ve had some cutting take up to 2 months.
Once your cuttings begin to develop roots, you will want to get them switched over to soil immediately. Start with soggy soil at first and then slowly acclimate your new roots to the same soil as the parent plant.
Clay balls
While water propagation works best for me, there are a lot of plant keepers that swear by these little clay balls. To use this method, you will fill a container or a cup with the balls and then with water about halfway.
Place the cutting inside with the node above the water level and then cover the top of the container with plastic wrap, leaving the leaf out. This should lock in the humidity and keep your node moist enough to stimulate root growth.
Soil
While this is one of the slowest methods, many people have great success propagating their cuttings in the same soil and even the same pot as their parent plant.
If you decide to go with this method, try not to be disappointed if you don’t see any growth for a few months. The plant needs time to adjust and settle in before it sends out new leaves.
Sphagnum Moss
Another really popular rooting medium is sphagnum moss. The roots of the Philodendron splendid plant love sphagnum moss and it is a natural fungus and mold inhibitor, so it can protect fragile cuttings from being ruined by mold.
The thing I don’t like about this method is that it is nearly impossible to get your cutting back out of the moss without tearing the roots, so you will need to plant the cutting into the soil with most of the moss still attached.
Fertilizer
You will want to fertilize your plant monthly in the spring, summer, and fall with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength. This will provide your plant with the nutrients it needs to grow without overwhelming or burning its roots.
If you aren’t comfortable using liquid fertilizers, you can also use slow-release pellets. They sell these at most plant stores and big box stores. Use the suggested amount on the bottle and mix it into your plant’s soil when you repot it in the spring. Every time you water, a small amount of the fertilizer will be released from the pellet into the soil.
Be careful when using fertilizer that you don’t overdo it. Too much fertilizer can actually burn the plant’s roots and cause root rot. Signs your plant may be suffering from over-fertilization are yellowing leaves, drooping leaves, dropping leaves, and even plant death.
To solve over-fertilization, you can either repot your plant in fresh soil or flush the soil with water. To flush the soil you will use 4x the amount of rainwater or filtered water the pot can hold. Slowly pour the water into the pot allowing it to run out of the pot’s drainage hole. This should flush any excess fertilizers out of the soil and help your plant recover.
Not enough fertilizer can also be a problem for your Philodendron. Symptoms include wilting, stunted growth, and yellowing leaves.
How much do Philodendron splendid plants cost?
Plant costs vary a lot based on supply and demand. If the plant you are after is currently on-trend, it will likely be selling for more than when it isn’t.
Right now the prices for Philodendron splendid seem to be around $30-50 for a cutting and a bit more for a small plant. Expect to pay significantly more for a plant that has multiple leaves and growth.
Where to buy Philodendron splendid?
When I am plant shopping, I like to start at my local plant store. I always shop locally whenever I can, and usually, even if my store doesn’t have what I’m looking for 9 times out of 10, they can order it in.
If you don’t have a local plant store, or they aren’t able to bring in Philodendron splendid, you can also shop on eBay and Etsy. Etsy is my go-to for online plant sales. There is a ton of variety and most popular sellers have really good ratings.
Keep in mind if you decide to buy online, that your plant or cutting may arrive stressed. Do your best to get it into its ideal conditions and then give it a few weeks to settle in before worrying too much about it.
Common Issues
Pests
Philodendron splendid is susceptible to a few types of pests. Mealybugs, aphids, and spider mites are the most common, but thankfully, if caught early, they are relatively easy to get rid of.
I recommend always quarantining new plants in an area away from your current plants for at least a month. During this month it is a good idea to treat the plant with neem oil once a week and keep an eye on the undersides of the leaves, the stems of the plants, and the nodes where pests like to hide.
I also like to take time once a week to just be with my plants. It helps me relax and it gives me time to really give each of my plants a thorough exam. I check for any signs of stress, pests, or deficiencies. This lets me catch any problems before they get to be too much to handle.
Yellowing leaves
Yellow leaves are unfortunately caused by a lot of things. The most common are over and under-watering. Start by checking your soil. If it is soggy or bone dry, it’s a safe bet that this is what is ailing your plant.
If you have soggy soil, you will want to remove your plant from its pot to check for root rot and then repot in fresh soil. If it is bone dry, you will want to rehydrate the soil.
Another cause of yellowing leaves is over and under fertilization. If you haven’t fertilized your plant in a few months, or if you have been doing it too often, it’s a safe bet that fertilizer is your problem. Flush your soil or repot if you believe over-fertilization is the issue and fertilize if you think it is under fertilization.
One of the other most common causes of yellowing leaves is that your plant isn’t getting enough light. If you are seeing spindly growth toward the light source on your plant or your plant seems to be slower than it should be at absorbing water, low light is likely your issue. Move your plant to a brighter area or provide a grow light.
Wilting
Wilting can be due to several factors. Overwatering and underwatering are two, as are over and under fertilization. For more information about these, see the above section on yellowing leaves. Another cause of wilting is temperature stress.
If your plant is under a vent or near a window it could be getting exposed to extreme temperatures. Try to keep your plant in an area that stays at a steady temperature and is free from any drafts.
