Philodendron Painted Lady Plant

Philodendron Painted Lady Plant, Grow & Care Guide 2022

Philodendron Painted Lady is a type of philodendron plant such as the Philo Pedatum that is known for its bright leaves and pink petioles.

A Philodendron Painted Lady is a beautiful, tropical, climbing plant that has light green leaves with a particular “design” on them. They are yellowish and have darker green speckles on their large surface. Since these plants are climbers, they appreciate external support.

Here you will be provided with information about the Philodendron Painted Lady, including its origins, features, and care instructions. If you’re interested in adding this plant to your collection in your home, office or, garden then keep reading!

Origin and Classification of Philodendron Painted Lady

In the Greek language, “philo” means love and “Dendron” means tree. The plant was named Philodendron in 1829 in reference to the fact that it is a tree hugger and loves to climb along with the trees.

This plant was created, not discovered. The painted lady is a cultivar that hails from the humongous Araceae family of plants. It’s a hybrid created by Robert H. McColley, a prolific plant breeder.

Some facts:

·   Family: Araceae

·   Subfamily: Aroideae

·   Genus: Philodendron

·   Accepted Scientific name: Philodendron erubescens

Features of Philodendron Painted Lady

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Philodendron Painted Ladies grow best in medium light and bright indirect sunlight. Older leaves turn yellow naturally. However, several leaves turns yellow at once, it could be an indicator that the plant is getting too much sun.

They will tolerate low light, but if the stems become leggy with several inches between the leaves, move the plant to a brighter location. Avoid alkaline soil at all cost. Keep the growing medium moist at all times. Push aerial roots into the soil on climbing varieties. Here we’ll take a closer look at its features.

Height and Outspread

If the plant is given the right care and protection, an average Philodendron Painted Lady may get 2-5 feet tall with a spread of about 10-30 inches. But in most of the cases, the structure depends upon the growing conditions and genetic makeup.

The leaves are heart shaped with a leathery texture and a shiny, glossy appearance and can grow as long as 6 inches. Young leaves look almost neon yellow.  

Flowers

These plants bloom and grow flowers; very rarely. These flowers are green or white and may show up during the late spring or mid-summer season. However, plant specialists suggest that if you are growing this plant indoors, it is better to cut these flowers off due to the highly unpleasant smell and because they take up a lot of the plant’s energy and resources.

Maintenance

Keeping the plants moist during winter when indoor air can get very dry can be a challenge. At the same time, avoid over watering or root rot may develop. If the leaves are drooping, it can indicate either too much water or not enough.

It is well suited to humid and tropical climate. Mist them frequently during the growing season, about every two days. During the winter you should mist them every three to four days. They will produce larger leaves and remain healthier if you fertilize them regularly. During the winter, fertilizing about once per month is enough.

Toxicity

Philodendron Painted Lady inherits the typical toxicity of its parents. Be vigilant to avoid health issues like allergies and mouth ulcers. Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested. They are especially poisonous to dogs and cats. Make sure you keep kids, animals and other sensitive plants away from the plant.

Basic Care of Philodendron Painted Lady

How to bring up your Philodendron Painted lady? This is a low-maintenance plant and doesn’t demand much. All it needs is medium to bright indirect light, above average humidity and watering after the upper layer of the soil gets dry.

Fertilize the plant once a month in summers however; don’t feed any fertilizer in winters. Giving fertilizer to the plant ensures nutrients going in which keeps it healthy but too much of anything is never good. Let’s get right into the main aspects of its basic care.

Sunlight

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These plants in general need access to bright indirect sunlight but avoid keeping them in direct sunlight for a long time as it can cause leaves to burn due to extreme sunlight in the afternoon. This does depend on how hot the sun is in your area.

Watering

Make sure watering is done once the soil goes dry. Although the soil can remain moist, it should not turn soggy or wet. Having drainage hole in the pots goes a long way in ensuring there is no water stagnating on top of the soil. You can spray the plant occasionally; not sprinkle, spray.

Pruning

Philodendron Painted Lady does not need a lot of pruning. You may need to prune it to maintain its appearance, size and shape according to how you’d like it to look. Similarly, do trim any leggy, unhealthy, discolored or diseases sections.

Doing so will help the plant recover and look better. However, don’t be overly aggressive with pruning. If you do too much, it will slow the growth of the plant even more as it already has a slow growth.

Propagation

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Due to its beauty, anyone would likely want to propagate Philodendron Painted Lady. The best part about it is that it doesn’t cost you anything. Here’s how:

  • Pick a healthy stem with at least 2 to 3 leaves on it.
  • Use a sterile pair of scissors or pruning shear to take the cutting. Get a 4 to 6 inch long piece. And, make the cut just below the node.
  • Plant the cutting into a small pot with fresh potting mix.
  • Alternatively, the propagation can be done in water as well. If so, place the cutting into a jar of water. Make sure to remove the lower leaves that will get submerged into the water. Then wait for the cutting to root (2 to 3 weeks). Later, transfer it into soil.
  • If the plant is propagated directly into the soil, it will take about 3 to 4 weeks for roots to develop. It takes longer because there is more resistance from soil compared to water.
  • From here, it is all about caring for the plant as the parent. Soon, it will grow shoots and need to be repotted to a larger container; the repotting procedure is just as same.

Common Problems Caring for Philodendron Splendid

Growing plants indoors is an easy way to boost ones home’s interior and bring life to a space. However, caring for houseplants can be intimidating if you’re a new plant owner.

Every plant is likely to have some kind of threats, at the end of the day it is also living thing right? Some common threats of Philodendron Painted Lady and mistakes done in the care taking of this plant are:

Pests and Diseases

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Philodendron Painted Lady doesn’t usually have many pests or disease problems. If well-taken care of, one may never need to deal with any of them. But, of course, the plant is not immune to these issues. Thus, regular inspection and care is very important.

With pests, spider mites and mealy bugs are the most common attackers. They can be dealt with using insecticidal soap or using dishwashing soap and water.

With diseases, root rot, blight and leap spot can be issues. When the plant is under stress, it becomes vulnerable to pests and diseases. So, overwatering and high humidity must be avoided at any cost.

Brown spots or patches on leaves

Due to overexposure to direct sunlight, the outer layer of the plant, especially leaves can burn and may develop some brown spots with leads to drying out and eventually dying of the plant.

If so, one is suggested to shift the plant to a place with indirect medium sunlight and observe the plant for some days. Doing so, the spots or patches, in all probability will fade away.

Never Amending the Soil

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Another mistake that many make is not paying attention to the soil once the plant has been planted initially. Plant food, Epsom salt solutions, coffee grounds, egg shells and certain spices all give different additives to the soil to help the PH levels for the plant.

If the plant is starting to look sick, do not, no matter what, ignore the symptoms. Make sure to do the research necessary to see what the cause is and practice the necessary measures.

Leggy foliage

If the stems of the plant are seen getting longer and the plant body getting leggy, inadequate light is the culprit. The plant tends to grow tall as a natural mechanism to reach more light. For a healthier plant, shift the plant to a spot with adequate amount of indirect light.

Learn more on plant types: Philo Pedatum

Final Thoughts on Philodendron Painted Lady

The Philodendron Painted Plant are evergreen hybrid plants need some bright, indirect sun and warm temperatures; they are not cold-hardy plants at all and will die if they get chilled. Besides that, they like well-draining soil, plenty of food, and a little humidity.

They don’t need much other care, and are considered pretty easy to keep. They are very beautiful and a little different from most Philodendrons in that their leaves are paler and yellower. They have a beautiful, textured look, and are low-maintenance, so they’re perfect if one has got a busy schedule.

If you follow the tips mentioned above then enjoy the healthy and prettier version of Philodendron Painted Lady.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Philodendron Painted Lady rare?

Getting straight to the point; yes, Philodendron Painted Lady is a rare and sought houseplant that features gorgeous golden new foliage that darkens with age and shows mottling.

Due to its beauty and being a hybrid of two-parent Philodendrons, P. Erubescens Burgundy plant, and P. Erubescens Emerald Queen plant (According to the University of Florida), its commercial demand far outweighs its supply.

However, its rareness enhances its importance making it beyond delightful. Philodendron painted ladies can be hard to find, but whenever they appear on any aroid nursery websites or nursery it can and will be the perfect addition to any collection.

How do you care for a Philodendron Painted Lady?

Philodendron Painted Lady will prefer dry soil conditions, so choose a well-draining potting soil and always allow the plant to dry out between watering. This tender plant loves warm environments. The word ‘Philo’ means love and ‘Dendron’ means tree in the Greek Language; for this reason, Philodendrons are considered tree huggers and grow well with support.

With the right care, this durable perennial can also survive for several years and sometimes even decades. This climbing rare tropical from the Araceae plant family is a great addition to any outdoor or indoor space. This plant will definitely demand a certain level of attention in terms of watering, feeding and propagation.

How fast does a Painted Lady Philodendron grow?

As it is already mentioned above, the plant is a slow grower. Just like other Philodendrons, the Painted Lady is known for its foliage which are heart-shaped and grow up to 6 inches long. The plant itself grows to between 2-5 feet high and 1-1.5 feet wide and will take about 5 years before it reaches maturity.

They do not climb as wildly as the climbing variety and tend to take up less space. Painted Lady Philodendron usually grow a bit slower than their climbing cousins, but left unchecked they can grow quite large anyway if provided with proper care.

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