Philodendron Mexicanum has elongated leaves that can grow up to 2 feet long under ideal conditions. This plant is naturally found in the rainforests of Central America.
The interesting thing is even it is a rainforest plant it does very well in a little bit dry conditions. This means you do not need to worry about watering the plant.
The soil plays important role in Philodendron Mexicanum care. You need to use organic material-rich soil.
Give it proper light and water so that the plant can easily develop long leaves. The intensity of light directly impacts the color of the leaves. Under high intense bright light, this plant loses its natural color.
Further details are explained below
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About the plant
If you grow it indoors and give it proper care then this plant grows about 7 feet tall. The interesting thing is the size of its leaves. The leaves grow 1 foot wide and 2 feet in length.
In the initial stage, the plant leaves grow small, and when they gets matured the leaves become tri-lobed.
At first, the leaves look green and when they gain their maximum size, they turn leathery green. The maroon undersides of leaves look fabulous.
To successfully grow this plant, you need to give it similar growing conditions to its natural habitat. No doubt you cannot create the same natural environment. But with the help of this guide, you can give it a comfortable environment in your home.
Light Needs
Even it is a light-loving plant but you should not expose it to direct light. It can cause serious harm to the plant leaves.
But the light that is low intense means not sharp is beneficial for its leaves.
Indirect light is perfect for the better health of Philodendron Mexicanum. The best part is you can also grow it in outdoor weather but only in pots. Because in winters you need to move the pot inside. This is only possible if you have this plant in a container.
To grow it in corners you need to use grow lights because it needs little extra light. Therefore, Turn your grow light for a minimum of 8 hours per day.
Potting Soil
Soil is the real foundation of a healthy plant. Philodendron plants like to live in organically rich and fast-draining soil. For best results, you need to use a potting mix that contains the following ingredients
Perlite
Sphagnum
Peat
Orchid bark
Compost
All these ingredients together form the best draining and lightweight soil. Such soil is necessary to protect the plant from accidental overwatering. The compost gives all the required nutrients to the plant.
If you do not have all these ingredients at home then you can buy commercial potting soil. Go to Amazon and choose the best deal. They will deliver the soil bag in few days due to the current conditions.
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Watering
Like every tropical plant, philodendron needs moist soil but not wet soil. There is a difference between moist soil and wet soil. Moist soil only contains a little bit of moisture but wet soil is waterlogged soil. You can easily see water on the top surface of the soil.
To avoid excessive watering check the soil moisture. To check it the easiest method is using a soil moisture testing meter. Check it on Amazon.
Always check the soil moisture and then water your plants accordingly. The weather conditions influence the watering needs of plants. If your plant is in a hot environment then it will need more water.
The hot air speeds up the evaporation of water and makes the soil dry. This is why I never put my plants near heat vents even in winter.
Fertilizing
To grow large size leaves and to full fill their nutritional requirements you need to use organic liquid foliage fertilizer.
Do not choose the synthetic type they are designed for plants that are heavy feeders and fast growers.
Read the instruction and then dilute it in clean water. To prevent fertilizer burn always give less fertilizer to your Philodendron Mexicanum plants.
Remember that there is no way to heal the fertilizer burn. You need to remove the infected leaves and change the soil. But there is no guarantee of anything.
Temperature & Humidity
60 F to 85 F is the minimum and maximum range for temperature for this variety of philodendrons. Because these plants cannot survive in cold weather. You need to move the plant pot inside your house. When the outdoor temperature starts dropping.
Below 60 Degrees F your plant starts dying.
For optimal humidity, you do not need to do anything. The normal home humidity is good for the plant. But at the time of propagation, you need a high humidity room.
If the humidity drop is less than 10 % then you can comfort your plant by misting water on its leaves. Do not forget that misting excessive water results in leaf fungal diseases.
Repotting
Repotting is necessary to freshen the soil and to give a little more room to the plant.
Repot your Philodendron Mexicanum only when the roots say “Hello” from the bottom hole of the plant pot. Then bring one size large pot, fill it with fresh soil and plant your plant in it.
After that give some water to keep the soil moist.
For best results use terracotta plant pots. Because your plant has large leaves that add weight to the top part of the plant. To support it you need a heavy container.
In some cases, you need to support the plant growth with the moss pole. In this condition, only a heavy-weight pot can hold the weight of the pole and a plant.
Propagation
The propagation is possible with stem cuttings. You need to cut the healthy stem just below the leaf node. The leaf node is the place where the stem will grow new roots.
It should be disease-free and have one healthy leaf.
At the time of propagation, you will see the small aerial root on the stems. These roots help to speed up the formation of new roots.
Once you have the cutting, dip it in the rooting hormone if you have it at home. If you do not have rooting hormone no need to buy it. Just skip this step.
Simply put it in the potting soil and place the pot in the high humid area. Your stem cutting will develop roots in just a few days. Once you see new growth this means your stem developed a new set of roots.
Conclusion
Philodendron Mexicanum is a beautiful plant. To give it the best care never give it extra water. All the points that I covered in this post are my growing experience.
Since the leaves are the real beauty of the plant you need to give them little extra care. Keep them clean to prevent fungal disease.
