The genus Philodendron is one of the most common in the houseplant spare-time activity — not surprising , take it contains almost 500 mintage of plants .
take more : My Favorite Philodendron Varieties That You ’ll Love Too
Today , allow ’s have a looking at at one of my personal front-runner : the striking Philodendron brandtianum , also sleep together as Philodendron ‘ Brandi ’ or the silver leaf Philodendron .
Once rare , this mintage is now becoming promiscuous to determine ( and gimcrack , too ! ) , so it ’s about sentence for a right plant guardianship guide to assist yours stay healthy and beautiful .
Keep read for everything you take to have sex about Philodendron brandtianum , its origins and how to care for it in your abode !
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About Philodendron brandtianum
Description
Philodendron brandtianum is generally referred to by its scientific name , but it does have a vulgar one as well : silvery leafage Philodendron , which also explains its appeal to so many houseplant enthusiast . untested plants display dramatic greenish and silver dapple coloration on their heart - shaped leave of absence .
Older specimens of P. brandtianum turn narrower , much larger foliage with only light silver spotting . In fact , they look so unlike from their adolescent counterpart that it can be difficult to spot them at all if you do n’t know what you ’re front for !
A member of the aroid family , this is a vining specie that ’s perfectly adapt to clinging to tree diagram in its instinctive habitat . If you earmark yours to climb , it can spring up very tall , finally hit heights of 10 feet or more .
Did you know?As if green and silver was n’t striking enough , unexampled leaf on Philodendron brandtianum come out orangey in color . They take on their normal mottled colour after a week or two .
Where to buy Philodendron brandtianum plants :
Philodendron brandtianum vs. Scindapsus pictus
If you ’re not a houseplant expert , it can be difficult to aright identify Philodendron brandtianum . It bears close resemblance to a bunch of other common aroid houseplant , especially the popularsatin Pothos / silver Philodendron(which , bewilderingly , is neither a Pothos nor a Philodendron — it ’s known scientifically as Scindapsus pictus ) .
Although both these species are vining plants known for their dark green leafage with silver mottling , it is possible to spot the difference .
There ’s the leaf texture , for starters . While Scindapsus pictus is have it off specifically for its flatness , satiny leaf , the leaves on Philodendron brandtianum are smooth and have a more leathery feel to them .
to boot , the mottling on Scindapsus leaves is more scattered than on the Philo ( at least when the latter is untested ) , whose green coloration is mostly found on the leafage veins .
Mature Scindapsus plant also have more rounded leafage than their Philodendron full cousin , whose leaves grow more elongated with age and have more pronounced foliage veins .
Did you know?Other plants that are similar to Philodendron brandtianum include Philodendron sodiroi and P. mamei , both of which also have silver vary leaves . Their growing patterns are a little different , though , and you ’re improbable to come across either of these specie in your local plant store .
Natural habitat
Like many of our preferent houseplant , Philodendron brandtianum is by nature found in South America . It fall out in Colombia , Brazil , and Bolivia , where it has accommodate perfectly to life in the tropical rain forest , using magniloquent trees for support as it mount towards the woodland canopy in hunting of more light .
Unlike many other philodendron , which favor wet tropical mood , P. brandtianum is found in seasonally ironic biomes . That ’s unspoilt news for us houseplant enthusiasts , as it mean it ’s a piddling more forgiving in term of watering than many of its cousins .
Caring for Philodendron brandtianum
Light and temperature
In terms of light and temperature requirements , Philodendron brandtianum is a standard tropical . Although it may be able-bodied to take a picayune more verbatim sunlight than its cousins from wet tropic biome — seasonally dry tropical timberland are often ( part ) deciduous , meaning more light arrive at the plant during at least part of the yr — it can still burn if it ’s not properly acclimated .
For the best results , give your plant a spot in the home that receives shining but indirect Inner Light . Do n’t keep it in the tad , as that can induce the beautiful silver leaf markings to wither .
Although room temperature or above is ideal for your fluent leaf Philodendron , it should be fine with anything over 60 ° fluorine . Its growth may slow down down or stop if things get too chilly , and freezing temperature are fateful .
Water and humidity
Philodendron brandtianum does expert when its grime is keep light moist . I unfortunately ca n’t tell you how often to water , as that depend exclusively on factor like brightness level , temperature , and soil composition , but there are some ready to hand rules of thumb that you could keep in mind .
During the warm summer month , when your plant is hopefully actively produce , let the first 2 inches or so of the grease dry out out before tearing again . In wintertime , when your Philo is likely mostly inactive , it needs less moisture . you could go forth the filth to dry about halfway .
Humidity - wise , the ideal for a plant life like this one is 80 per centum or gamey . In most position you ’d need a greenhouse or humidity cabinet to achieve this , but since most folks do n’t have one around , you may attempt to aim for 50 percenet or up . If the air moisture levels in your home on a regular basis miss below that , you may want to turn over invest in a humidifier .
Tip : When it amount to lacrimation , it ’s usually unspoilt to err on the side of carefulness . Although logical underwatering can induce issues , it ’s less problematic than rot stimulate by overwatering , peculiarly for a plant that should be adapted to the occasional “ drouth ” !
Soil and planting
One nice thing about climbing aroids like this one is that most of them like the same type of soil .
The ideal mixture has a few dissimilar component , but it ’s easy enough to put together and desirable for a whole bunch of species : other Philodendron varieties ( likePhilodendron gloriosum,‘Birkin ’ , and‘Pink Princess ’ ) , Monsteras ( likeMonstera siltepecanaand‘Thai Constellation ’ ) , and even the so - called Mini Monstera known asRhaphidophora tetrasperma .
Every houseplant fan swears by a slightly unlike composition , but a great introductory arum soil mixture that will make well for your Philodendron brandtianum can look a little like this :
If you find the soil dry out too quickly for your liking , you may also add a fistful of sphagnum moss . If you feel it needs better drain , just up the perlite or the barque .
Although Philodendron brandtianum is often sold as a hang type industrial plant , it ’s in reality naturally a climber . To see yours in its full glory , it ’s preferred to give it a moss pole or flora totem , rather than keep it in a hang pot and letting its vines dangle down .
Simply attach the stems to the pole and your Philo will know what to do , cling closely to its support and gradually uprise larger parting .
crest : Do n’t draw a blank to always use a planter with a drain hole . Although Philodendron brandtianum appreciates wet , standing water can be a death sentence .
Recommended product for Philodendron brandtianum flora care :
Fertilizing
Philodendron brandtianum is not a sonorous eater , but it will appreciate a little plant food nonetheless . During the growing time of year ( late springtime to former fall in most areas ) , apply some dilute balanced houseplant fertiliser once or twice a calendar month .
cease fertilizing during wintertime or if your plant is not actively growing . Its root wo n’t be able to use the nutrients , and they can in reality end up agony instead .
advocate fertilizers for Philodendron brandtianum :
Pruning
Pruning a Philodendron brandtianum generally should n’t be necessary , although you could of course bump off stagnant or unsightly leaves .
If you do adjudicate to prune ( like if your plant has become too tall for your liking ) , be indisputable to have a look at the section on propagation below to find out how to grow a sword new Philo for free using the clippings .
Dividing or repotting
Because this coinage does n’t tend to produce many offshoot , it ’s not the ideal candidate for sectionalisation . Instead , if your Philodendron brandtianum has outgrown its planter , it ’s secure to move it one pot sizing up .
Repotting is ideally done during springtime , and it ’s also a good prison term to refresh your works ’s filth .
Really do n’t want to go for a bigger pot ? Although it ’s not my favorite option , it ’s also possible to clip your Philo ’s stems and root passably , helping to keep it more manageable . The plant might sulk for a few weeks after such an invasive operation , but with the right care , it should perk up back up eventually .
Propagating Philodendron brandtianum
One of the majuscule matter about vining mounter like this species is that they ’re a gentle wind to breed . Propagating Philodendron brandtianum can be as simple as crop a piece of stem with some leave off an existing plant and placing them in water for a few weeks to steady down !
After this , you may belt down the root press clipping into some desirable soil and voilà , you ’ve got a whole new Philodendron Brandi .
If you prefer not to propagate in water system , you may also plant your clipping directly in soil , pure perlite with a layer of water , or moist sphagnum moss . Keep the medium lightly moist and be certain to put the whole thing in a overnice and lovesome ( but not sunny ) location for the best solution .
Keep in intellect that propagating any houseplant can take importantly longer during the nerveless and dark winter calendar month than in summer . Just be patient ; as long as the thinning is n’t die off , it can still root .
Is Philodendron brandtianum toxic to cats and dogs?
Like other members of the family Araceae , Philodendron brandtianum is considered mildly toxic . This is due to the presence of calcium oxalate crystals in the leaf , which can cause gibbousness and irritation to the lips and mouth when chewed . So while you wo n’t have to concern about your furry friend being earnestly harmed if it arrest into your Philodendron , it ’s still good to keep this plant out of their compass to prevent issue .
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