Indoor plants need more care than outdoor growing garden plants. Some indoor plants grow quickly while others take time to grow like Philodendron Gloriosum.
This plant takes about 1 month to open its leaves. If you want to grow it at your home. You need to know about its needs.
The good news is Philodendron gloriosum care is simple and easy.
Give it proper sunlight, water, and nutrients, your plant thrives like crazy. In philodendron, gloriosum care the most neglected part is light and water.
In this guide, you will know everything that you need to know for growing and caring for Philodendron gloriosum plants.
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Quick Care Guide
| Common Names | Philodendron Gloriosum, Anthurium Gloriosum |
| Size | 2 to 4 feet tall and 3.5 feet wide |
| Soil | Well-draining |
| Light | 4 to 5 hours morning light |
| Water | Moderate |
| Temperature | Normal house temperature |
| Humidity | 50 to 80 % |
| Pest & Diseases | Mealybugs, Aphids, Spidermites |
About the plant
Philodendron gloriosum is native to Columbia. It is widely grown all over the United States. It has broad heart-shaped leaves with a velvety texture.
Dark green velvety leaves with wide creamy lines look Fabolous in fancy pots.
Philodendron plants are of 2 types. One is creeper plants and the other is climbers. This particular plant is a creeper type.
Do not mix it with a blue start creeper because it is totally different from it.
Blue start creepers are the best alternative to normal lawn grass. Under ideal growing conditions, their leaves can reach 3 feet in height.
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Philodendron gloriosum care
Like other houseplants, growing and caring for Philodendron gloriosum is a simple task. You need to learn a few things about this plant.
This will help you to grow it without any problems.
As we all know light, water, soil, and humidity are the few most important things that every plant needs to grow. But the quantity and quality of all these factors decide the health and size of your plant.
For the best possible growth follow our below care guide.
The plant needs high humidity to grow but limited water. This means the soil has to be moist all the time.
Sunlight exposure is necessary to keep the plant alive and healthy.
Now let’s talk about everything in detail.
Light
Sunlight is a debatable issue with philodendron gloriosum. Because in its natural habitat it grows on the ground in between big trees.
These large plants form a canopy over the plant. Most of the sun rays that fall on this canopy are absorbed by large plants.
Only a few of them are able to reach the Philodendron leaves.
So, some growers recommend shady places while others prefer partial shady places.
In my experience, this plant does well in partial shady places. Where it can get morning sunlight and after that bright indirect light.
Grow it in the total shade is a false statement. Because every plant needs some amount of light to produce food.
The amount of light depends on the type and size of the plant.
Light energy is required to convert water and nutrients into glucose which is plant food.
So, grow it near a sunny window. If you do not have a sunny window. In this condition, you have to use artificial grow lights to full fill its light needs.
Any brand 100 watts grow light is sufficient for philodendron gloriosum care.
Water
Philodendron needs constantly moist soil to grow healthy and produce large leaves. But it does not like to sit in waterlogged soil.
So how can you keep the soil moist with less watering?
This is possible with well-draining soil. It needs less water and remains moist for a long time. Remember that houseplants are prone to root rot.
This fungus disease is always triggered by excess water in plant pots.
New Growers give extra water to their plants. Because they believe that more water helps plants to grow better.
When you do not check the soil condition and just pour water into the pot. Chances are the plants get infected by root fungus.
Use filtered water for watering philodendron gloriosum.
Because tap water may contain chlorine and heavy minerals. Chlorine contained water is not good for plants. The Plants need calcium, not chlorine.
The choice of water affects the life and health of your plants.
The best method of watering plants is checking the potting soil moisture. Use a soil moisture meter or poke your index finger 2 inches deep in the plant pot.
The meter will give you digital reading. If the soil feels dry give some water.
Soil
Soil plays a very crucial role in growing container plants. Professional growers do not use garden soil in plant pots.
They recommend commercial sold houseplant potting soil. This type of soil has excellent water draining qualities.
Such soil can save the plant if you pour extra water in the pot once or twice.
Also, the pot has to have a bottom hole.
The soil absorbs the desired water and lets the excess water go out of the pot through the bottom hole of a plant pot.
Orchid potting mix with a few parts of peat and perlite will be the best growing material. Some gardener suggests adding charcoal to the potting soil.
But it is not necessary, I am saying this from my experience. I have two pots of philodendron and they are healthy without charcoal in the soil.
Temperature
7 to 35 degrees C is the ideal temperature range for the best philodendron gloriosum care.
If the temperature drops below or goes above the recommended range. The plant starts suffering from temperature fluctuations.
The good news is,
We all have our home temperature in between the recommended range. Just Protect your plants from hot winds in the summer season and from cold winds in the winter season.
Never put the philodendron plant pots near the heating vents. The hot air will dry the soil quickly and this increases your work.
An extra cup of water on cold days can be deadly for the plant. This can suddenly drop the temperature of the soil. Hence the result is shocking to the plant.
Humidity
50 % to 80 % humidity is required for better growth and big heart-shaped leaves. But in the summer season, it can tolerate 40% humidity.
There are different methods by which you can increase air humidity.
High humidity reduces the watering needs of plants. No need to buy a humidifier for this plant. Because the normal humid level of our homes is perfect for it.
If it drops leaves due to low humidity you can mist water on leaves. This will increase the humidity and save it in hot weather.
Fertilizers
Liquid fertilizer is suggested over others and use in half strength. Spring and summer are the best fertilizing seasons.
Because this is the growing season of gloriosum plants. Any normal houseplant fertilizer is ideal to use.
It helps gloriosum plants to stay fit and produce bigger leaves.
Give it a nutrient boost once every 8 weeks. Do not fertilize houseplants in winters. Plants need rest on cold days and they do not grow.
Pruning
No need to prune the plant. In pruning, we remove dry, yellow, and dead parts of the plants. Also, cut the excess growth to keep plants in good shape.
Pruning is also necessary to keep the plants within their boundaries. But in this case, the plant does have stems and small leaves that need trimming.
Instead of trimming the plant. You should pay attention to plant hygiene. Keep the plant base and pot soil healthy.
Propagation
As we all know plants with stems are easy to propagate by stem cuttings. This way you can easily and successfully multiply your favorite plants.
Below is the step-by-step process of propagation.
- Find the disease-free stem (rhizome) and cut it from where it attaches to the main stem or another leaf (called a node).
- It is best if the rhizome has some leaves but if it does not have leaves, no problem.
- You have to leave at least 3 leaves in the mother plant.
- Now take the sharp knife or garden shears to cut the base evenly.
- Dip it in the rooting hormone and do not use cinnamon it will not work.
- Now take the small size pot and fill it with moist sphagnum moss and plant the cutting in it.
- Here you need to put the cuttings in high humidity to help them to develop roots faster.
- To increase humidity, cover the pot with a plastic cover. Lift the cover once every 2 days to regulate the fresh air circulation.
- It will take a minimum of 3 weeks to develop roots. Once the plant develops roots it will get well established in the growing medium.
- Once the cutting develops 2 to 3 leaves this means it is time to transfer it into the potting soil.
Pests & diseases
Yellow leaves
Yellow leaves are a common problem in most houseplants. It is triggered by two common reasons. One is an extra bright light and the second is overwatering.
Remember that the old plant leaves naturally turn yellow before they drop. This is the natural process of shedding old leaves.
But when new leaves turn yellow this is a serious problem that needs to be fixed soon.
Reduce the amount of direct bright light. Move the plant to a place where it cannot receive in-direct sun rays.
In-direct bright light for 5 to 6 hours is beneficial for the plant.
For the second cause reduce the water intake of plants by giving them less water. Your plant will again turn into velvety green color in 5 to 10 days.
Root rot
Stunted growth and yellow leaves are the symptoms of root rot. It is only triggered by excess water.
You need to fix the problem asap otherwise it will spread to the other parts of the plant. To fix it, take the plant out of its pot.
Then remove the soil from the roots and inspect for the infection.
Take sharp shears and cut the infected part of the roots. Then change the soil because the old soil also contains root fungus bacteria.
Put new soil in the pot and plant it again in the same pot. Before plating, wash the pot with any soap and let it dry.
Common pests
Spider Mites
Aphids
Mealybugs
All these are common pests that are most likely to be found on neglected or poorly cared philodendron gloriosum plants.
Once you see any of the above pests on your plants, take quick action. Buy the diluted neem oil spray from the market.
Spray it on all parts of the plant. Do not use chemical treatments. Because you grow this plant indoors and you don’t want to inhale chemicals by treating plants with chemicals pest killers.
Neem oil is totally safe for pets, children, and plants.
The second option is rubbing alcohol. Take the cotton ball and pour some rubbing alcohol on it. Then wipe the plant leaves carefully.
This way you can clean the plant leaves and also the alcohol kills most of the pests and their eggs.
This is the cheap and best way to kill their entire colony with your hands.
Choose the neem oil method first and then use rubbing alcohol wipes.
