Philodendron gloriosum – Super easy indoor plant to take care of

The heart-shaped big velvety leaves of Philodendron gloriosum plant makes it an adorable marvelous piece of beauty, which can mesmerize your thoughts and feelings. You will be definitely forced to stop for a while and feel the real beauty of nature by touching the velvety texture of Philodendron gloriosum leaves.

The healthy green leaves of this plant are so huge that even your face can hide behind them. The creamy white veins on the leaves make it look like an epic piece of art created by the finest artist of the world. In short, I can say that this plant can make your living space a class above, more premium.

Philodendron gloriosum is a tropical plant that originated from the tropical forests of Colombia. It is not a climber like the other Philodendrons rather it is a creeper. This means it does not grow vertically, it grows horizontally along the soil. Therefore, it needs some special techniques to grow and propagate the Philodendron gloriosum.

Complete details about Philodendron gloriosum

1. Scientific name- Philodendron gloriosum
2. Family- Araceae
3. Origin- Colombia
4. Mostly found in- Tropical regions like Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Central America, Ecuador, and in some parts of Brazil and Venezuela.
5. Plant type- Tropical evergreen broad-leafed indoor plant. It grows horizontally creeping along with the soil. Appreciated for its beautiful foliage.
6. Soil- Well-drained fertile soil.
7. Pot- The pot should be big in size, at least a 10-inch pot, with good drainage capacity.
8. Light- Bright indirect sunlight.
9. Humidity- The plant loves a higher range of humidity, above 60%.
10. Temperature- Plant can grow well under a wide temperature range of 550 F to 800 F (130 C to 260 C).
11. Water- Plant requires more frequent watering with less amount of water.
12. Fertilizer- Fertilizers of organic origin are good for this plant. A slow-releasing fertilizer applied every two months during the active growing season is good.
13. Propagation- The plant is propagated using the stem cuttings.
14. Toxicity- Plant is toxic in nature.

Now let’s discuss the complete care guide of Philodendron gloriosum plant in detail.

How to take care of Philodendron gloriosum

1. Soil requirement

Philodendron gloriosum plant can grow very well on well-draining soil with a good amount of organic matter. A soil that can provide good aeration to the roots of the Philodendron gloriosum plant is best for it. An ideal potting mix for this will have one part of perlite, one part of coco peat or peat moss, and one part of compost or worm casts.

Coco peat helps to retain the right amount of moisture required for the plant for a longer period of time in the potting mix. Compost or worm casts helps the plant to feed with a good amount of nutrients. It also improves the organic matter content of the soil, increasing the physical property of the soil. Perlite increases the porosity of the soil leading to better drainage and better aeration.

If the potting mix is not draining properly and there is still waterlogging for a prolonged period of time, the roots of the plant may easily root. It is not good for the plant. Therefore, try all possible solutions you can try to improve the drainage property of the soil. You can increase the perlite content in the potting mix. You can also add some sand to the mix.

Enthusiasts also advise adding some charcoal and some orchid barks to the potting mix. You can add if these are available to you.

Make sure that the plant roots can respire sufficiently beneath the soil. If they are suffocated due to overwatering, then the plant can show some serious physiological symptoms like root rot, drooping, and yellowing of leaves. If the issue continues for a longer period of time, the plant may die also. So make the potting mix well-drained so that it can easily remove the extra unwanted water, out of the pot.

2. Pot

Since the Philodendron gloriosum plant grows horizontally along with the soil it needs a larger pot to accommodate the plant. You can begin with a pot size of 10 to 12 inches and increase the size as the plant grows gradually.

The depth of the pot is not very important, but it should be enough to accommodate all the roots.

Since the plant is a creeper, not having a proper hard stem, initially it needs some support to keep its leaves erect. Later when the plant matures, the leaves can stand on their own.

Also, make sure that there is enough drainage holes to remove the excess water out of the soil.

3. Light requirement of Philodendron gloriosum

The original native place of Philodendron gloriosum plant is the tropical rainforests. These plants grow beneath the huge evergreen trees under their shade. To imitate their natural living conditions, you can provide them bright indirect sunlight. It will mimic the lighting of their natural habitat and plant will grow without any issue.

The plant if exposed to direct sunlight for only a few instances, then it is absolutely fine. But if it is exposed to harsh direct sunlight for a very long period of time throughout the day, then the plant will definitely face some issue. The plant will end up scorching and burning its leaves. And you will never like a Philodendron gloriosum plant with burnt leaves because the foliage of this plant is the only point where the plant shines.

Keeping your plant near an east-facing window is ideal. The plant will get some direct sunlight in the morning which is not too harsh. And throughout the day it will get bright indirect sunlight.

You can also use a growing light. But natural light is the best.

4. Humidity

Like all tropical plants, the Philodendron gloriosum plant also shines under a humid condition. Higher humidity levels make the plant looking fresher and greener. Humidity levels of more than 60% are ideal. But the plant can manage to survive under humidity levels of 40-50 %.

To increase the humidity of the atmosphere surrounding the plant, you can use the following methods

• Group all your plants, those love to sit in a humid place. By the combining effect of their transpiration, the atmosphere will be humid.
• You can mist your plant every now and then using a sprayer.
• Keep your plant on a pebble tray filled with water.
• Find a naturally humid place for your plant. Like your bathroom. Before keeping your plant in the bathroom, make sure that there is enough light for your plant.
• Get a humidifier to automatically make the environment humid.

5. Temperature

Philodendron gloriosum plant can grow well in a wide range of temperatures like 55⁰ F to 80⁰ F (13⁰ C to 26⁰C). But the plant grows actively during the summers and the springs. In winter months the growth of the plant kind of stops.

In the next summer, the plant resumes its growth again.

6. Water requirement of Philodendron gloriosum

As we have discussed earlier, the Philodendron gloriosum plant loves to sit inside a moist soil. But you have to take care of the fact that the soil should not be saturated and overwatered. A swampy, soggy and overwatered soil may easily rot the roots of the plant.

To fulfill the exact water requirement of the plant, you have to water more frequently but less in quantity. If the soil is not draining properly, then the root inside the soil can easily get suffocated and then rot. Therefore, it will not able to collect water from the soil and send it to the leaves. As a result of which leaves start to turn yellow and then droop.

If you apply less water to the plant, then also the leaves start drooping due to lack of water.

So to prevent both overwatering and under watering, you can manually check how much your plant is thirsty and when to feed if. You can do this by touching the top 1 to 2-inch layer of soil. If it is totally dry, then go for applying water. If it is wet, then there is enough moisture for your plant.

7. Fertilizer

I always recommend using the fertilizers of organic origin always. The use of synthetic fertilizers in your indoor plants is not good for your plant and for you also. Organic fertilizers increase the organic matter content of the soil, improving both the physical and chemical properties of the soil. It makes the system more sustainable.

But the problem with organic fertilizers is that you never know how much fertilizer is required for your plant.

You can use fertilizers once in a month at half of the recommended dose during the actively growing season. During the winters reduce the frequency of applying fertilizers and apply once in two months.

8. Propagation

The Philodendron gloriosum plant can be easily propagated using stem cuttings. Because the stem of this plant is modified to rhizome, which grows horizontally along the soil. There are nodes on the rhizome from which leaves come out. Roots develop from the rhizome and then enter into the soil.

So when you are taking a stem cutting or rhizome cutting to propagate your plants it generally comes with prebuild roots. It helps the newer cuttings to establish in a new environment quite easily.

Now let’s discuss the step by steps to propagate Philodendron gloriosum

1. Choose a perfect section on the stem or rhizome of your plant where you are going to make a cut.
2. Choose the section in such a way that the mother plant at least should have two to three leaves attached to it. The new cutting may have a few leaves or it is just the rhizome only.
3. Now sterilize the tool (maybe a blade or knife etc.) which you are using to cut the rhizome. Sterilization is important because it prevents the infection of all unwanted pathogens or diseases.
4. Make a sharp cut on the rhizome and take the new cutting.
5. Place it inside a container filled with moist peat moss. Now keep the container either inside a plastic bag or inside a closed airtight plastic box.
6. A warm humid environment inside the box (or bag) will promote the growth of both roots and shoots making the rhizome cutting ready to be planted in a regular pot.
7. Open the zip of the bag or the lid of the box every alternate day in order to let fresh air come inside.
8. Once a sufficient amount of roots developed and a few leaves started to emerge out, it is time to plant your new young Philodendron gloriosum plant inside a regular pot.

How to Plant your Philodendron gloriosum- the stem should be placed above the soil or below the soil?

The exact answer to this question is that the stem or rhizome of the Philodendron gloriosum plant should be on the surface of the soil. Some parts of it should be exposed to the atmosphere and the rest part should be placed beneath the soil.

From the top part placed above the soil, the beautiful leaves come out and from the part of the rhizome below the soil, the roots come out.

So place the stem at the soil level.

9. Growth rate

The Philodendron gloriosum plant is a slow-growing plant. It takes its own sweet time to start growing and develop a new leaf. It may take a month or two to completely grow a new leaf.

10. Pest

The plant is not susceptible to a lot of pests, but common pests like the mealybugs, the thrips, and the aphids, etc. may easily infect this plant. You can check the pest infestation by closely observing the leaves of the plants. There may be some leaf webbing, some tiny insects, or some oozed out cell sap is there to tell you that some notorious pests have infected your plant.

To control these pests, the best remedy is neem oil. It is effective, natural, and easily available in almost every part of the globe. Spray the neem oils twice to completely eliminate all these pests.

You can also use some other insecticides for pest control. But make sure that you are keeping your plant outside before applying the chemical pesticides because you never will want to inhale these chemicals.

11. Diseases

Most of the diseases of Philodendron gloriosum plant are either related to over or under watering, or lack of proper lighting conditions.

Yellowing of leaves

• One reason for the yellowing of leaves is the leaves are aging. The older leaves gradually turn yellow and die. You can do nothing about it.
• If your younger leaves are turning yellow, then check, you probably overwatering your plants. Making soil saturated and soggy, prevent the effective function of the roots, gradually leading to root rot. Therefore, the leaves cannot get enough water and they started to turn yellow.
• To control this, you can apply less water, or you can improve the drainage of your potting mix by adding more perlite or sand.
• The other reason for this may be your plants are getting a lot of direct sunlight. Check it and fix this issue as soon as possible, by keeping the plant in some other indoor place that gets a proper amount of indirect bright sunlight.

Root rot

• As discussed earlier due to over saturating the soil the roots start to rot.
• To control this, you have to improve the drainage capacity of your potting soil.

12. Toxicity

Yes, this plant is toxic in nature. It may cause throat irritations, swelling, and other digestive issues. In severe cases, it may take you to the hospital.

Therefore, keep this plant away from the children and pets.

FAQ

Is it easy to maintain a Philodendron gloriosum plant?

Yes, it is very easy to take care of your Philodendron gloriosum plant. You just have to take care of following important things

• Choose a well-draining potting mix.
• Keep the soil moist, but never make it over wet, or soggy or oversaturated.
• The plant should be located in such a place that it should get bright indirect sunlight.
• Fertilize the plant once in a month.
• Keep the humidity levels high.

From where can I get a Philodendron gloriosum plant?

You can get a Philodendron gloriosum plant online. On social media platforms like on Instagram, on Facebook, on Pinterest. Many online platforms are also selling it.

Conclusion

Yes, the Philodendron gloriosum plant is easy to grow. Some people may think it is a little bit difficult, but believe me guys, it is not at all. But the fact is that you have to be regularly engaged with this plant. May be watering the plant, keep the atmosphere humid, and so on. I can promise you that you will definitely admire its beauty and tap on yourselves.

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