There’s nothing more striking than the foliage of philodendron gloriosum. It has beautiful dark green leaves that are shaped into hearts and look velvety. A beautiful pattern of long white veins decorates each leaf of this plant. In contrast to the dark green leaves, the veins stand out spectacularly.
But wait, there’s more! It is one of the easiest indoor jungle plants to grow, and anyone can achieve great results.
It is a desirable tropical houseplant to add to any jungle plant collection. Philodendron gloriosum is also an excellent gift idea for any plant enthusiast since it complements any home.
As I said before, it is a relatively low-maintenance indoor plant. Watering and finding perfect light is probably the most challenging aspect of care. But it’s not as hard as you think. Take the time to get to know your plant, and your philodendron will thrive under your care.
How much light does it need? 🌤️
Philodendron gloriosum thrives in indirect light that is bright. The leaves will grow large and beautifully veined when it receives bright indirect light. If your philodendron leaves are directly exposed to sunlight, they can be burned. You can recognize burned leaves by their reddish-yellow color.
It tolerates less light, but then leaves will be smaller, its growth will be leggy, and the space between the leaves will be more significant. When you see such symptoms and want more giant leaves, you need to move your philodendron to a brighter location.
You can always use growing lights when you can’t provide philodendrons enough bright light. Keep growing lights 24” (36cm) away from leaves to prevent leaf burn.
The perfect location ✨
Place it in front of a window that doesn’t receive direct sunlight. A philodendron will thrive in a window facing east and receive morning sunlight, giving it plenty of natural light. If you have a too bright window, you can diffuse or filter direct sunlight with sheer curtains or partially closed blinds.
How often do I need to water? 💦
Even though watering this plant can be tricky, it is not rocket science. The key to success is to avoid overwatering. At the same time, don’t forget to water your plants from time to time.
There is no exact formula for measuring watering density because it depends on how quickly your plant soil dries out. Several factors affect this, including the room temperature, pot type, etc. I recommend monitoring the soil moisture at least once a week.
The best time to water is when the top layer of the soil is slightly dry. When you doubt the need to water your plants, remember that dry soil is better than wet soil.
photo by small_potter
photo by Olena Shmahalo
A soil moisture meter makes it easy to measure soil moisture. If you don’t have a soil moisture meter, you can poke your finger into the pot to feel if the topsoil is dried out or not. If the topsoil feels dry, you can water it. If not, wait a few more days and check again.
It is important to remember to lift the pot from time to time to check the soil moisture underneath the pot. You can evaluate soil moisture by touching it near drainage holes. Sometimes, the soil dries up quickly on top but is still highly wet underneath. This situation can result in root rot without you noticing it.
More experienced plant parents can determine watering needs by lifting the plant pot and evaluating its weight. Dry soil weighs significantly less than wet soil. A feeling of this kind takes some time to develop.
You can try bottom-watering to minimize fuss. This technique requires a tray or container filled with water. Place the plant in water with its pot (which has drainage holes). Let the plant soak up water for 15-20 minutes. This way, Philodendron will take as much water as it needs, and you will not need to think about how many milliliters of water you need to pour on the plant.
It is necessary to occasionally water plants from the top if they are regularly watered from the bottom. Excess soil salts are removed in this way.
Bottom-watering has many advantages:
Common problems with watering philodendrons 🆘
Philodendron gloriosum can be sensitive to both overwatering and underwatering. There is a significant risk of root rot when there is too much water.
When you overwater your plant for a longer time, the roots might not be able to take any more water and will start to rot. Consequently, leaves can also become slightly droopy since water isn’t transferred to them. Leaves will eventually turn yellow, brown, or crispy.
If your philodendron gloriosum is thirsty for a long time, it will first look droopy, then drop its leaves. Leaves will turn yellow-brown before they fall.
Don’t worry too much! Your gloriosum will likely survive first water failures. It is more important to learn from these situations to be more careful in the future.
Do I need to fertilize it? 💪
Your philodendron gloriosum uses all the nutrients in the soil, so you need to re-enrich the soil with new nutrients from time to time.
Small leaves and prolonged growth might indicate that your plant lacks essential nutrients. Remember that philodendron gloriosum grows slowly, which cannot be induced with fertilizer. Furthermore, fertilizer will not help your plant grow if it grows in dim conditions, and the growing conditions generally do not favor its growth.
Fertilization of philodendrons is generally done with liquid fertilizer. For the best results, use specially formulated indoor fertilizers. As a rule of thumb, philodendrons are fertilized in the spring through fall, actively growing once a month. In winter, it is not necessary to fertilize but when the plant is thriving, reduce it to every eight weeks.
I recommend diluting philodendron gloriosum fertilizer to half the recommended amount. Due to its slow growth, it can’t use all the nutrients as quickly as some plants.
Read the instructions on the fertilizer if you are debating how much to put. Fertilizers can differ slightly in composition and need to be handled differently.
What is the ideal temperature and humidity? 🌡
The optimal temperature range for philodendron gloriosum is 65-85°F (18-29°C) during the day and 60-70°F (16-21°C) at night. Although it prefers humidity levels of 60-80%, it can also thrive in levels of 40-60%. When humidity drops below 40%, it’s essential to raise the humidity for plants to survive.
During the warmer months, you may be able to take your philodendron outside. It will all depend on your local climate. Once warm weather is enough, you can take the plant outside and place it in the shade. Keep it out of direct sunlight. Make sure you bring it inside before cold and winter frost.
The Philodendron gloriosum can be grown outside throughout the USDA hardiness zone 11. The following map highlights the USDA hardiness zone 11 with light orange color:
You can look up your zone on USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Which soil is best for philodendron gloriosum? 🟤
Growing healthy plants requires slightly moist, well-draining soil that contains organic matter. You can use a unique potting mix made for aroid family plants or just for green indoor plants which have some vermiculite or perlite inside them.
Alternatively, you can use orchid potting mix and add peat and perlite to improve aeration and lighten the soil. If you have a regular potting mix, you can add some big chunks, vermiculite, or perlite to make it airier and use it instead. Mix vermiculite with peat, compost, and regular potting mix is also possible.
Plant roots struggle to survive in dense, heavy soil, and water isn’t absorbed. It’s best to keep your soil at a pH of 5-8.
You can also grow this plant in 100% sphagnum moss. As the moss contains no nutrients, you must fertilize your plant periodically.
What pot should I choose? 🪴
The material does not matter when it comes to pots. Just be sure your pot has holes for drainage. You’ll want the excess water from the soil near the roots to escape through the drainage holes in the pot.
Philodendron gloriosum plants do best in rectangular containers that are long and narrow. However, it isn’t a game-changer. Using a round pot requires more frequent repotting than using a rectangular one.
Since it is a creeper plant, it will crawl along with the soil and quickly reach the end of a conventional round pot. As soon as the plant hangs over the edge, it cannot grow roots into the soil, and as a result, the leaves will become smaller again.
photo by plant_686
photo by pidgecooperplants
When should I repot? 😳
As soon as that plant reaches the edge, it won’t be able to grow roots into the soil anymore, and it’s time to give it a larger pot. Roots growing through drainage holes also signify that it’s time to repot. It is generally recommended to replant every 2-3 years.
Avoid planting it in a container that is too big. There will be problems if philodendron deals with all the moisture and nutrients in that extra soil. Choose a pot that is 1-1,5 inches (2-4cm) larger than the old one.
Remember not to wholly bury the rhizome under the soil when repotting to prevent root rot.
Watch a video tutorial how to repot philodendron gloriosum:
How well does it tolerate pruning? ✂️
Removing yellow, brown, and other unusually colored leaves is always a good idea. There is no need for this, but the plant will look more beautiful this way, and its energy will be focused on the healthy leaves. You can first try gently pulling colored leaves off, but if that doesn’t work, just carefully cut the leaves.
It is also possible to prune your philodendron gloriosum when it has become too large. Cutting the stems at their base is the easiest way to do this. Make sure you water the plant afterward to minimize stress.
It is good to know that stem cuttings can be used to propagate new plants.
Philodendron gloriosum is an easy plant to propagate by stem or rhizome cuttings. It’s a great chance to propagate new plants from cut stems if you need to prune a philodendron. Besides this, it’s normal to cut the stems for propagation purposes. You need to ensure your mother plant has at least three remaining leaves.
Easy step-by-step propagation guide:
The development of new roots can take up to four weeks. Once you have considerable roots on your cutting and the first 2-3 leaves have grown, it will be time to pot the cutting into a pot with potting soil.
Watch a video tutorial how to propagate philodendron gloriosum:
Growing Philodendron gloriosum takes a lot of patience since it grows very slowly. Usually, it takes more than a month for a plant to reveal a new leaf after seeing a spike.
According to Exotic Rainforest, the plant’s stem can reach a maximum of 3 feet (1 m), and leaves can grow up to 26” (90 cm) in its natural habitat. Due to less-than-ideal conditions indoors, this size is difficult to achieve.
Its white flowers are rare and beautiful. However, they are relatively modest in appearance. Like most other aroids, it has a spathe and spadix, forming the flower. Red spathe covers it. In botanical terms, it is called an inflorescence.
photo by small_potter
photo by annemiekesplnts
While Philodendron gloriosum isn’t a particularly frequent bloomer, room conditions can make it bloom successfully. Just some happy talk and a comfortable environment will do.
Philodendron gloriosum is toxic to pets & humans. It has a moderate level of toxicity, and chewing its leaves or stems can cause mild symptoms.
Insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause the symptoms in philodendrons’ stems and leaves. Crystals are released upon chewing or biting into this plant, causing tissue penetration and irritation in the mouth and GI tract. It is rare to experience swelling of the upper airways, making breathing difficult.
According to the Pet Poison Helpline, these are some signs to watch for:
Keep philodendrons up and away from cats, dogs, and children since they are not pet- or kid-friendly.
Yellow or brown leaves
Several factors can lead to yellow leaves, which is a common issue. The most common reasons are:
Yellow and brownish leaves are most commonly caused by irregular watering. It is possible that you have let your soil become too dry or that you have overwatered your philodendron. Find out if the soil is too wet or too dry so you can decide what action to take.
Yellow leaves can also be a sign of too dim conditions. This is usually accompanied by small leaves. For the healthiest plant place it under indirect bright light.
Brownish-reddish leaves indicate sunburn on your philodendron. The plant cannot tolerate intense sun rays. Ensure that your windows are shaded or that it is placed somewhere that receives indirect bright light.
Yellowing leaves are a symptom of nutrient deficiencies, but they may also include small leaves, long stems, leggy growth, and drooping leaves. Also, you haven’t fertilized your plant in a while. Maintain a regular fertilization schedule with diluted houseplant fertilizer.
If you are not sure what can be causing yellow leaves on your philodendron, read more about how to find out what might be causing your plant’s discolored leaves.
Droopy leaves
Several factors can lead to droopy leaves, which is a common issue. The most common reasons water-related:
If you have overwatered your philodendron, let the soil dry a bit before watering again. If you have watered it too little, water it thoroughly as soon as possible.
Root rot
There is a good chance that Philodendron gloriosum will develop root rot if its roots are overwatered.
Root rot is the leading reason philodendrons die. It is often challenging to detect root rot until much damage has been done. The symptoms are not readily apparent in the early stages of root rot because the damage begins underground. There has already been a lot of damage done when the above-ground symptoms appear, and the plant’s survival is at risk.
I have found that the only way to really know is to pull the plant out of its pot and examine its roots.
Look for the following symptoms:
Read more how to prevent and treat root rot on philodendrons.
Spider mites
Philodendron is susceptible to spider mites, which are common houseplant pests. The best way to avoid them is to prevent them. Spider mites are usually brought home with a new houseplant. Quarantine your new plants & keep a close eye on their leaves.
Spider mites are extremely small and hard to see but their damage is easily recognizable. Common signs are:
It is possible to get rid of them by regularly washing the damaged leaves. As well as insecticidal soap, you can use horticultural oil. If the damage is terrible, you can also use insecticides.
Philodendron Speciosum
Philodendron sagittifolium
Philodendron pastazanum
Philodendron ornatum
Philodendron melinonii
Philodendron erubescens
To sum it up, philodendron gloriosum is a low-maintenance indoor plant with beautiful foliage. Once you know it, it will be easy peasy — an excellent addition to any jungle plant collection or a wonderful plant parent gift.
If you did not get the answer you were looking for, feel free to ask any additional questions you have in the comment section below. In any case, I will be happy to assist you.
Already a happy philodendron gloriosum parent? I’d love to see a picture of your plant! It would be great if you could share any advice or tips you’ve gained from your experience with this plant.
Let us know in the comments & let’s make this article even more helpful to readers like you.
My passion for plants has grown over the years, so has my knowledge about them. I have master’s degree in horticulture & during my career I’ve advised thousand on clients about plant-related requests & issues at well-known garden center.
