If you want a rare stylish looking plant then you should choose Philodendron Billietiae. It has long heart-shaped green leaves and orange stems. It is a climber plant but you can grow it in pots. Billietiae will stay short without support. Philodendron Billietiae care is simple and easy.
You need to give it proper light, water, humidity, and fertilizers to keep it healthy and shining. In this article, I will explain how you can care for your Philodendron Billietiae plants.
So, let’s start
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Philodendron Billietiae care guide
This plant is naturally found in Brazil and Costa Richa. There it grows in jungles and reaches its maximum height of 4 feet with 3 feet long leaves.
This height is not possible in US weather. Moreover, plants growing in plant pots stay short but they look more stylish than their large size brothers.
For indoor gardening, we need short to medium-height plants. They look amazingly good in our home and make our home interiors more premium and beautiful. Also, it is easy to maintain a small size plant as compare to a large size houseplant.
Below are the complete details of all growing requirements of Philodendron Billietiae.
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Light
For the better health of your plant, place it in a bright location but away from direct sunlight. In their natural home, these plants get filtered light. Because the trees growing nearby absorb most of the sunlight due to their large size and widespread.
Philodendron Billietiae only receives a low amount of light on the jungle floor.
This clears that you cannot grow it on the sunny window sill like you grow other common indoor plants. Therefore, the best place will be few feet away from the sunny window.
Or you can install the sheer curtain on the window to protect your plant from direct sun rays.
If you do not have a sunny window then you can use grow lights. Buy a normal range LED grow light (150 watts) of any brand. It will work fine for Philodendron Billietiae care.
Watering Philodendron Billietiae
Watering is the second main part that you need to take care of. Because this plant needs constantly moist soil to grow. The soil moisture helps it to grow fast and to combat common plant diseases.
The main goal is to prevent overwatering and save plants from many diseases.
Because the extra water in the plant container makes the potting soil wet and soggy. This makes soil heavy and puts extra pressure on the plant roots. Also, it reduces air circulation and builds up fungi.
Then these fungi start eating plant roots and this condition is called root rot.
Therefore, learning the correct watering technique is very important.
What is the best watering technique?
Whenever you are going to water the container plants always do the soil check. You should insert your finger in the potting soil and check the soil moisture.
You can also use a soil moisture meter if you are new to indoor gardening. This device is inexpensive to buy and gives a reading in digital form.
If the soil lacks moisture they give some water to the plants. Otherwise, wait until the top 2 inches of soil become dry. Always use drinkable water for watering indoor plants.
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Soil
Good soil is the foundation of a healthy plant. In this case, because our plant does not like extra water. We need soil that drains well.
The potting soil must have peat or perlite in it. These ingredients make the soil lightweight, and fluffy and increase its water-holding capacity. Also, make it well-draining soil that is a must in Philodendron Billietiae care and maintenance.
If possible, add some organic material to the potting soil to reduce your fertilizer expenses.
Organic material like compost increases soil fertility by adding more nutrients to it. Moreover, the organic nutrients break slowly. This way your plants always have nutrients available.
Note: You cannot use your garden soil for growing Philodendron Billietiae. Even if you mix organic material and perlite in it. The garden soil still remains heavy and becomes waterlogged if accidentally overwatered.
Pro tip: Commercially selling potting mixes will be a great choice if you do not have knowledge about soil mixes.
Temperature
The ideal temperature range for Philodendron Billietiae care is 55 to 80 degrees F.
You just need to make sure that your plant is never exposed to cold weather. Because it likes to live in warm weather. And can only handle cold temperatures as low as 55 degrees F.
Below 55 F the plant starts suffering from cold and the plant tissues start dying. There are chances that in cold weather your plant easily gets infected by root rot and leaf rot.
Also, keep it away from the direct flow of hot air.
Humidity for Philodendron Billietiae
Whereas other plants have some particular range of humidity. Philodendron Billietiae can tolerate medium to high humidity levels.
Our home humidity is between 45% to 70 %.
Billietiae can easily survive in this range. If you notice brown edges and low humidity together. Then you need to take quick action to increase the air moisture.
You can do so by grouping all houseplants together near your Philodendron Billietiae. The second option is using the pebble tray method and the last and most effective option is electric plant humidifiers.
You can use a single-plant humidifier for all plants. Put all plants in a room and turn ON the humidifier.
Do not put your plant in the bathroom. This will cause serious problems because it cannot handle the too-high humidity of the shower room.
Fertilizing Philodendron Billietiae
For the best-looking foliage, you need to give it a little health boost in the form of nutrients.
Use normal houseplant liquid fertilizer that contains micro and macronutrients with trace elements. Fertilize Billietiae once every 4 weeks only in the growing season.
Stop fertilizing the plant on winter days.
Remember that nutrients are only required for shining long size leaves. You cannot speed up its growth or increase its size with heavy fertilization. This will only result in overfeeding and you will see brown spots and burned Philodendron Billietiae leaves.
Repotting Billietiae
Repotting is required once in 2 years because it grows slow in plant containers.
For repotting use 2 inches wide and deeper pot. Philodendron Billietiae does not like compacted roots. Tightly packed roots become unable to work on their full potential. Hence, they cannot supply proper nutrients to the plants and the plants become weak.
Spring is the best time for repotting Philodendron Billietiae. Keep in mind that you have to change the soil of the container when repotting the Billietiae plant.
Fresh containers and fresh soil give new life to the repotted plants.
Toxicity
All philodendron plants are toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and horses. Actually, they have toxic juice in their leaves and stems.
The toxic effect only occurs if someone ingested the plant stems or leaves.
Vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, and redness on the skin are the few common signs of Philodendron Billietiae toxicity.
Propagation
The best Philodendron Billietiae propagation method is stem cutting. For that, you need to cut the best stem. The stem must be 3 to 4 inches long with 1 or 2 healthy leaves. Look for such a stem and cut it below the leaf node.
- Then prepare the small size pot.
- Add potting soil in it and plant the cutting in it.
- Then tap the soil around the stem to make it stand straight.
- Then give some water and put the pot in a warm humid place.
- In the spring season no need to cover the pot because the humidity is already high.
- Keep the plant pot in the correct warm weather
- It will take a few days to develop roots.
- Once the stem cutting develops roots you will see new tiny leaves.
Common pests and diseases
You will be surprised to know that this plant acts as a pest magnet. There are two pests that love this plant. Aphids and mealybugs both are deadly tiny insects.
They suck the nutrients from the plant and make its nutrients deficient.
The good news is killing them both is simple and quick. There is also a strong pest prevention technique let’s talk about it first.
To prevent pests and for best Philodendron Billietiae care. Spray dilute neem oil on the plant thrice every month.
Buy neem oil and dilute it in water according to the instructions of the neem oil bottle. Then spray it on the plant. You can spray it on any plant because the neem oil is 100% safe to use on all types of plants. It is the natural preventive method.
Neem oil has anti-fungal properties. It will not only prevent nasty pests it will also save your plant from leaf rot and stem rot.
How to kill aphids and mealybugs?
To kill them in seconds, wash your plant with insecticidal soap or use professional pest control spray. Take the plant out of your house and wash it in open. After washing it apply neem oil to heal it from the damage.
Only use commercial sprays if your plant is more than 2 feet tall. Because this formula is not for small plants. They cannot handle the chemical formula of sprays.
Is philodendron Billietiae easy to grow?
Yes, growing Philodendron Billietiae is very simple. You do not need to learn special gardening skills. All you need to do is give it indirect bright light, and water it after checking the soil condition. Fertilize it only in its growing season as per the fertilizer manufacturer’s instructions. Use general-purpose houseplant fertilizer.
For good Philodendron Billietiae care and health follow our guide and grow it. For more info on other types of Philodendron plants see our houseplant section.
