Philodendron Laciniatum plants have large green leaves and red petioles. Native to the Venezuela and Brazil, these Phil’s are often confused with other Philodendron’s when they are juvenile.
There are many plants in the Philodendron family, but these are unique because of their deeply lobed, jungle green and glossy leaves.
The name Philodendron comes from the Greek word phileo, which means ‘to love’ and dendron which means ‘tree.’ The name refers to the Philodendron’s love for climbing. And the Philodendron Laciniatum is no exception.
Philodendron Laciniatum are not only inexpensive and an easy plant to grow indoors, they are also one of the best houseplants for removing toxins from the air.
These plants are healthy growing climbing plants that have an established and long root system to support their height as they grown
Table of Contents
What are the best practices for Philodendron Laciniatum Care?
Soil
Philodendron Laciniatum grow well in any high quality, fast draining potting mix.
I typically mix my own potting soil with peat moss.
I have also mixed it with peat-vermiculite or peat-perlite and have had excellent results. I have also used a soil-less mix of sphagnum moss for mine and had excellent results.
Light
These plants do well with bright light but not direct sunlight as it can burn the leaves.
If your window has direct sunlight, place the plant a bit further away from the window so that their light source is bright but indirect.
Philodendron’s will tolerate lower levels of light, but they will not thrive.
In my experience, the best Philodendron Laciniatum care is medium to bright light but making sure the sun doesn’t directly hit the leaves.
Watering
The best philodendron Laciniatum care is to water from the top.
I allow the top three inches of soil to dry out between watering.
I check this by inserting my finger in the soil and if it is dry to my second knuckle, then it is time to water. Pour water from the top until it is running out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot.
Temperature
Philodendron Laciniatum do best in temperatures of 65-80 Fahrenheit during the day and around 55-60 Fahrenheit at night.
Humidity
Since Philodendron Laciniatum are from the tropical jungles of South America, they thrive in humid conditions.
Part of Philodendron Laciniatum care is to mist their leaves during the dry months and I like to keep a humidifier in the room with my plants during the dry winter months.
Fertilizer
I have found that one of the most important things in Philodendron Laciniatum care, is fertilizing. Philodendron Laciniatum are fast growing and need to be fertilized several times annually.
I typically fertilize mine between three and four times a year. I fertilize six inches away from the base with a slow release fertilizer.
I find that sometimes my Philodendron Laciniatum grows slowly without fertilizing and I am always careful to use a good quality fertilizer. Some of the cheaper ones have heavy salts and can damage the roots of any plant.
Propagation
The easiest way to propagate a Philodendron Laciniatum is to use a stem cutting. I find that the best time to do it is in the summer or even the early spring.
Choose a healthy branch with one or two nodes and cut it off with a pair of sharp scissors or a razor blade.
Put the cutting in a glass of water or a glass with some very moist soil in it.
The roots will begin to grow quite easily and before long, the cutting can be planted in a pot.
Growth
If you give your Philodendron Laciniatum care, it can grow to an impressively large plant. They are considered a fast growth rate plant and their average size can be bigger than three feet in both height and width.
Potting and repotting
I always give my Philodendron Laciniatum a fast draining and good quality pot. I like a ceramic pot or a hanging basket. If I plant it in a ceramic pot, I make sure to add a trellis or a pole for the plant to grow up.
If the plant gets root bound, it must be repotted but not until it is heavily root bound. I do mine once every two or two and a half years on average.
It is best to choose a pot that is only a bit larger than the root ball. I use one that is 2-3 inches bigger than the root ball and I always do it in the winter before the fresh leaves grow.
That seems to yield the best results for me. I don’t ever fertilize for the first two weeks after repotting. I find that it is too much of a shock for the plant.
Philodendron Laciniatum: Common Pests
With the proper Philodendron Laciniatum care, pests will be easy to manage and eliminate. The most common ones are aphids, mealybugs, spider mites and scale insects.
I use neem oil for most of my indoor plants. I also use insecticidal (or bile) soap and a soft cloth to remove any pests gently.
Mealybugs can be wiped off with a cotton ball and rubbing alcohol, but I find that insecticidal soap gets all of the potential pests in one application.
Propagation – Let’s dive a bit deeper into the process
- Wait until growing (spring or summer) season to propagate.
- Inspect your plant. A good time to propagate your plant is when you are pruning it back already. To cut a stem for propagation, you can either do one leaf to one node or two leaves to two nodes.
- With sharp scissors, make clean cuts on the stems that you plan to use for propagation. Remember you can do a 1:1 or 2:2 leaf to node ratio. They need the leaf to do photosynthesis and the stem is just a way of transporting nutrients to the plant, so a shorter stem (2 inches approximately) is best. The node is where the leaf or aerial root grows out of the stem. Make sure your cuttings have a stem and leaves are healthy and vibrant in color.
- Place the cut ends in either a small jar or water or a watery mix of soil and water. Another option is to propagate with wet moss. Soak the moss and put some in the jar, creating a watery moss mix. Gently place the cuttings in the moss, being careful not to damage them as you do.
- Once the cuttings have strong roots, transplant them into small pots with soil. I find that two months after I place the cuttings in water is usually a good time. I also usually change the water for the cuttings every three to four days when I propagate into just water.
It is possible to propagate Philodendron plants from seeds at the time of blooming, but the seeds are small and difficult to harvest.
The seeds can be planted directly into a nutritious breeding soil and kept damp with a spray bottle with water. It is particularly important not to over soak them or to let them get too dry.
I have only ever had success at this when I have put the seedlings under lamps and kept it at 70-73 degrees Fahrenheit.
And honestly, stem and leaf propagation are so easy with Philodendrons that my opinion would be to do that.
Tips & Tricks on Philodendron Laciniatum Care
When you are giving your Philodendron Laciniatum care, it will help you to understand what it needs by the leaves. Pay attention to changes in the leaves such as browning or drooping, these changes will help you adjust your care.
If the leaves are yellow, it means it is either getting too much or not enough light. As I mentioned above, it requires a sunny location however direct sun is bad for the leaves.
A sunny location with a sheer curtain to prevent the leaves from burning will work or simply place the plant away from the direct light. Generally, I have found that 75% indirect light works best.
I have also had the tips of the leaves turn brown on my plants. This is usually from not enough water or from sun damage on the leaves.
In my Philodendron Laciniatum care, I always check the soil moisture regularly. They don’t need to be watered too often but it is better to check than to let them get too dry.
The other possible reason for brown tips is too much fertilizer. With this problem, the leaves curl downward usually before turning brown.
To resolve this issue, I water the plant thoroughly to wash out the excess fertilizer. This can also sometimes be caused by a cheaper fertilizer with too much salt content.
Droopy leaves sometimes occur and when they do, it is usually a sign that your Philodendron Laciniatum care needs some tweaking.
It is usually as simple as checking the soil and watering either less or more.
The soil should never be soggy and although I do let it get almost dry between watering, I don’t let it get bone dry. Either of these can cause droopy leaves or result in the plant not thriving.
Commonly asked questions about Philodendron Laciniatum
Where can I buy a Philodendron Laciniatum plant?
You don’t have to make any special trips for this plant. They are available regularly at garden and home gardening stores. I have also seen them at grocery stores and even on Amazon and other online gardening stores. There are lots of people selling or giving away cuttings for a fraction of the price. I got my last one from an ad on Kijiji.
Does my Philodendron Laciniatum care need to include regular pruning?
The short answer is yes. Removing unhealthy leaves from any plant is a good idea. With a Philodendron, the vines can get scraggly and messy looking. I always give my Philodendron Laciniatum a trellis to climb which will help prevent some of that, but it is a good idea to shape the plant periodically anyway.
Are Philodendron Laciniatum toxic to animals?
They are absolutely toxic to animals. Animals (or small children) should not chew on the foliage. They contain calcium oxalate crystals that are released into the child’s or animals’ mouth which causes tissue penetration. Signs to look for are drooling, oral pain, decreased appetite, and vomiting. Less commonly, the pet or child can experience swelling of the upper airways after ingesting the crystals.
Do I need a humidifier for my Philodendron Laciniatum care?
If you live in a naturally moist or humid environment, you shouldn’t need one. If you live in a dryer climate, I suggest you put one in the room your plant is in. I live in an environment where the winter is dry and the summer humid, so I run a humidifier during the winter months only. Remember, most plants thrive in an environment that is like their native one and this one is from the warm and moist jungles of South America.
Can I plant my Philodendron Laciniatum in my outdoor garden?
Yes, but if you live in an environment that gets cold in the winter months, you will need to bring it indoors. It should not be planted in direct sunlight but will need indirect light. It will need to be brought indoors before the temperature gets lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Conclusion
Philodendron Laciniatum plants are a beautiful and easy to care for addition to any home plant collection. They are inexpensive and readily available and can be propagated easily with just a simple cutting.
They make an excellent focal point with their red petioles and size. They do exceptionally well as a climbing plant but can also thrive and be beautiful as a trailing plant in a hanging basket.
Their leaves are large and glossy and there is no mistaking this plant is a jungle plant. They rarely get any pests and are hearty and robust. An added bonus is that they remove toxins from the air incredibly well.
I have had a Philodendron Laciniatum plant in my plant room for many years and they have never failed to impress me.
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.