Philodendrons are a common sight in many households. A famous tropical plant to have for many years but still as popular as ever. There are many types of Philodendrons, but the most popular is probably the Monstera Deliciosa or Swiss Cheese plants. This plant can grow ginormously big and its humongous leaves are a sight to behold. If you can get your hands on a big one we envy you! So without further ado, let's go learn about the Philodendron!
Check out all of our Philodendron plants!
Love Child
These plants are literally made of love! The name Philodendron derives from the Greek words philo- meaning "love" and dendron meaning "tree". Plus the leaves of seedling philodendrons are heart-shaped! They can grow from 3 to 6 feet in length, and they can be triangular or deeply lobed depending on the species. Their leaves can be a rainbow of colours, from green, to purple, to red. What's not to love about a plant that has irresistible heart-shaped leaves? Philodendrons like Kate are vines so she can grow as a trailing/hanging plant or as a climbing plant depending on your tastes. Furthermore Kate is a jungle plant so she loves warm, humid environments and bright, filtered sun but no direct light - think of all of those jungle plants living under the shade of the giant jungle trees.
Living in perfect harmony
Philodendrons live in harmony with nature. For one thing, the Philodendron is an important source of food for monkeys and bats in the wild. But it's not just monkeys and bats - these amigos also work in perfect harmony with ants. The ants' nest is grown in the plant's roots, which help keeps the nest together. The philodendron then produces a sugary liquid which attracts the ants, and in turn, it gets nutrients from the ant nest. Plus, the colonies of ants provide protection against pest insects in the wild.
Fun fact: philodendrons do very well in offices, because they love low light!
How to care for a Philodendron
What's your favourite type of Philodendron? Or have any other plant-related questions/concerns? Let us know at hello@plantsome.ca | Facebook | Instagram!
