Philodendrons are one of the easiest houseplants to grow and care for. If you are looking for a low maintenance houseplant consider the tree of love.
Philodendrons are tropical plants native to Central and South America. These evergreen plants belong to the same Araceae family as Pothos plants. There are hundreds of species of Philodendron each with its own unique species. The most common philodendron plants produce long vines or stems adorned with thick waxy dark green leaves. They can be planted indoors all year round and grow quickly. Depending on the type of philodendron and the size of the container in which it is planted they can grow from one to six feet tall and equally wide.
Philodendron care involves three basic requirements: sunlight, water and fertilizer.
- Sunlight – Place the plant in bright indirect sunlight. Find a spot near a window where sunlight never reaches the leaves. Although yellowing of older leaves is normal if this happens to several leaves at once the plant may be getting too much light. On the other hand if the stems are long and tall with inches between the leaves then the plant is not getting enough light.
- Water – Allow the top soil (25 cm) to dry out between waterings when planting a philodendron tree. The length of your index finger to the first knuckle is about an inch (25 cm) so sticking your finger in the soil is a good way to check the moisture level. Dropping leaves can mean the plant is getting too much or not enough water. But the leaves recover quickly when you adjust the watering schedule.
- Fertilizer – Feed your vines with a balanced liquid fertilizer that contains macronutrients. Water the plants with fertilizer every 6 to 8 weeks in the fall and winter and monthly in the spring and summer. Slow growth and small leaves is one way plants signal that they are not getting enough fertilizer. Faded new leaves are usually a sign that the plant is not getting enough of the essential micronutrients calcium and magnesium for almond trees.