Philodendron erubescens
blushing philodendron
Family AraceaeAlso called red-leaf philodendron
About
Philodendron erubescens, the blushing philodendron, is a vigorous evergreen climber from Colombia with red stems and heart-shaped leaves. It is the parent of many popular self-heading cultivars.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Toxic to cats, dogs and horses: insoluble calcium oxalate crystals cause mouth pain and swelling, drooling, difficulty swallowing and, in cats and dogs, vomiting (ASPCA, for philodendrons). General guidance for the genus
- People
- Harmful if eaten: calcium oxalate crystals cause pain and swelling of the mouth, lips, tongue and throat; the sap can irritate skin. General guidance for the genus
- Light
- Indirect or filtered sunlight; tolerates lower light.
- Water
- Keep the soil evenly moist but never waterlogged; overwatering leads to root rot. General guidance for the genus
- Humidity
- High humidity is ideal but it tolerates less.
- Temperature
- Minimum about 15 °C (59 °F); grown under glass or indoors in temperate regions.
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained mix rich in organic matter. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Stem cuttings or layering. General guidance for the genus
- Mature size
- Climbs 3–6 m (10–20 ft); leaves up to 40 cm long.
- Hardiness
- Frost-tender; grown outdoors only in USDA zones 10a–12a, elsewhere as a houseplant. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
Grows 3–6 m with red stems and heart-shaped leaves up to 40 cm long. Fragrant deep red spathes up to 15 cm long appear in summer and autumn.
Distribution & habitat
Native to Colombia in tropical South America.
Cultivation notes
Needs at least 15 °C, so it is grown under glass or indoors in temperate climates. Prefers filtered or indirect light but tolerates lower light, and likes high humidity though it copes with less. Cultivars such as 'Pink Princess', 'Red Emerald' and 'Imperial Red' are mostly self-heading, forming compact clumps rather than climbing.
History & etymology
The epithet erubescens means "blushing".
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Colombia
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- Minimum about 15 °C (59 °F); grown under glass or indoors in temperate regions.
- Humidity
- High humidity is ideal but it tolerates less.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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