Philodendron gloriosum: Complete Care Guide

If you’re considering adding Philodendron gloriosum to your home, you’re in for a real treat. This beautiful plant is easy to care for and can add a touch of elegance to any room.

It’s prized for its large, heart-shaped dark green leaves with white veins. The leaves can grow up to 36 inches long and wide, making it a real statement piece.

Growing and caring for Philodendron gloriosum is relatively easy. Still, you should know a few things before you get started. So here’s everything you need to know about Philodendron gloriosum care.

How Big Does Philodendron gloriosum Get?

First things first. This plant is known for its huge, velvety leaves. But exactly how big does it get?

The plant can reach a height of up to eight feet and a spread of six feet when grown indoors.

Philodendron gloriosum leaves can grow up to 3 feet tall and wide in the wild. However, as a houseplant, it’s unlikely that you’ll see the leaves grow that large.

The more you can replicate its native conditions, the larger the leaves will grow.

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How Fast Does It Grow?

Philodendron gloriosum is a slow-growing plant. In fact, new leaves may take a month or more to unfurl. So be patient; it’s worth the wait.

How Do You Take Care of Philodendron gloriosum?

Like most philodendron plants, this variety is easy to care for, making it an excellent choice for beginner gardeners. With just a few simple tips, you can keep your plant healthy and looking beautiful. Let’s look at the specifics.

Light Requirements

This plant thrives in bright, indirect light. So if you’re looking to keep yours healthy, make sure it’s got a spot near a window where it can get plenty of light without being in direct sunlight.

It’s important to avoid direct sunlight, as this can scorch the leaves.

If you notice the plant getting leggy, it probably needs more light. Legginess occurs when the plant is reaching toward the light.

If you can’t provide enough natural light from windows, artificial light will work fine. However, in that case, you may want to purchase a grow light to ensure that your plant gets the light it needs.

Temperature Requirements

Philodendron gloriosum does best in warm temperatures between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s likely that your normal household temperature is exactly what it needs.

If you take it outside for the summer, make sure the nighttime temps don’t fall below 60 degrees. This is a tropical plant; it’s used to a warmer environment, and if it gets too cold, it could die.

Water Needs

This plant likes to be kept moist but not wet. Water it when the top 2-3 inches of soil are dry to the touch. Stick your finger in the pot to check – if it feels dry, it’s time to water. And when you do water, be sure to give it a good soak so that the water runs out the bottom of the pot. Then, let the soil dry out completely before watering again.

Be careful not to overwater, as that can lead to root rot.

The Best Pots and Soil

When choosing the best pot, make sure you select one with drainage holes. This is an absolute must to avoid waterlogged soil, which can lead to root rot.

A long rectangular planter is ideal for the growth pattern of these plants. They have a rhizome that creeps long the soil. (If you’ve ever grown irises outdoors, this is the same concept.) They may run out of room to grow in a round container.

As far as soil is concerned, a light, well-draining potting mix that is rich in organic matter is your best choice. Orchid potting mix works well. You can add some perlite to the soil mix if you want to improve aeration.

Fertilizer

Fertilize your plant once a month during the growing season (spring to fall). Use a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at half-strength.

Cut the frequency back to every other month during the fall and winter seasons.

Humidity

Like most tropical plants, it loves humidity. 60-80% humidity is ideal, but your home likely won’t be that humid. Not to worry. It can tolerate humidity levels as low as 40%.

If the air in your home is on the dry side, consider using a plant humidifier or pebble tray. A pebble tray is simply a tray of water with pebbles in it. The water will evaporate and increase the humidity around the plant.

Pruning

You can prune your plant to control its size and shape. You’ll also want to regularly prune away yellow, brown, or raggedy leaves.

Pruning is also helpful if your plant is looking leggy. This will encourage new growth and help it to fill out.

To prune, cut the stem back to the desired length with a clean, sharp pair of shears. New leaves will grow from the cuts you make.

How To Propagate Philodendron gloriosum

I mentioned earlier that gloriosums grow from a rhizome. This makes propagating them different than most other houseplants. Not to worry! It’s still really easy to propagate.

You will divide the rhizome rather than rooting a stem cutting in water. (Technically, this is still a stem cutting because the rhizome is simply stem tissue that grows along the ground).

Take a pair of clean pruning shears and cut the rhizome between two leaves.

Identify where you will make your cuts. Look for a spot on the rhizome between two leaves.

Make sure the mother plant still has a few leaves so that you don’t stress it too much by taking the cutting.

However, the new baby plants don’t need multiple leaves. So the rhizome cutting can have one or two leaves.

You can even propagate a new plant from a rhizome chunk with no leaves. If you choose to do this, make sure the cutting includes at least one node. However, growing a new plant will be easier (and faster) if you cut a piece of rhizome that includes a leaf and preferably some roots, so that’s my preferred method.

You can allow the cutting to dry out before planting or sprinkle some rooting hormone or cinnamon on the cut stem. These are optional steps that may help prevent rot.

Put the cut stem in a container with moist sphagnum moss and make sure it gets plenty of indirect sunlight. Water regularly so that the moss stays moist.

Once the roots have developed, you can transfer your new plant into its permanent container.

Can Philodendron gloriosum Live Outside?

These plants are not winter hardy, so they will need to be brought indoors if you live in an area that gets colder than 60°F (10°C) at night.

You can take it outside during the growing season as long as the temperature stays above 60.

Toxicity

Philodendron plants are toxic to both humans and pets, and gloriosum is no exception. It can cause burning and irritation in the mouth and throat, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing if ingested. Symptoms usually occur within minutes to hours after ingestion.

If you suspect your pet has eaten part of this plant, call your vet right away!

Philodendron gloriosum: Common Problems

One of the most common problems with these plants is too much or too little water. These plants like to be moist but not soggy.

Yellow leaves are a sign that you’re watering too much. Let the soil dry out between watering, and try to avoid getting the leaves wet when you do water.

If the leaves start to turn brown and crispy, that’s a sign that you’re not watering enough. Water more frequently and make sure the pot has drainage holes so that the roots don’t sit in water.

Droopy leaves can indicate that the plant is getting too much direct sunlight. Move it to a spot with less light.

Pests and Pest Control

Pests are also a common problem with these plants. Look out for mealybugs, spider mites, scale, aphids, fungus gnats, and whiteflies.

If you see any of these plant pests, you can try to control them with neem oil or insecticidal soap.

For most pest issues, I usually try neem oil first. I keep some mixed up in a sprayer so that it’s ready to use when I need it, but you can also buy it already mixed up.

You’ll want to spray all parts of the plant. You can pour some into the soil as well. Repeat the process after two weeks.

If you still see pests after two applications of neem oil, try insecticidal soap. Again, you’ll want to spray all parts of the plant.

I would also recommend quarantining the plant during this process so that the pests don’t spread.

Where To Buy Philodendron gloriosum

If you’re looking for a Philodendron gloriosum plant of your own, your best bet is to order one online. These plants are becoming increasingly popular, but they’re also quite rare, so it’s unlikely that a local garden center will carry them. Instead, you can often find them at specialty garden retailers or on Etsy.

Why Is Philodendron gloriosum So Expensive?

As I said above, these plants are rare, so that’s part of the reason why they’re so expensive. Plus, they’re trendy, and that drives the price up.

Wrapping Up

Philodendron gloriosum is a beautiful tropical plant that’s perfect for anyone who loves unique houseplants. This stunning plant is easy to care for as long as you give them the right amount of water and plenty of bright indirect sunlight. They’re also pretty tough, so they can tolerate a wide range of conditions. Just be sure to keep an eye out for pests and diseases.

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