Philo: Large-Leaf
Philo: Large-Leaf
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Scientific Name:
Multiple Philodendron Species & Hybrids
Previous Name(s):
N/A
Common Name(s):
Velvet Leaf Philos
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Climbing
Difficulty:
Medium
Growth:
Props:
Leaf Petiole Cuttings
Water:
Some can tolerate drought, but most prefer to stay more moist
Humidity:
Light:
Medium
Medium - High
Pests:
Spider Mites & Scale
Quirks:
The more perfect the conditions, the larger the leaves will get
Light Levels
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Large-leaf Philos definitely want Medium light. Too much light can cause burns and too low light will decrease your leaf size.
And, a special thing to note, these Philos want Medium light across the whole plant. So, if you have this growing on a Moss Pole, and if you want to keep all the leaves looking nice, you will want to have lights that hit both the top and bottom growth.
Watering Strategies
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These Philos are slightly less drought-tolerant than other Philos. They definitely prefer consistent moisture, so make sure to keep up on watering these plants. Water them when they pass the Baking Check (see my Watering care page for more info on this) or a Moisture Meter reading of 3-4.
Also, if you are growing these on Moss Poles, you will want to make sure that the Pole stays moist pretty much all the time. Otherwise their arial roots won’t be able to take hold.
However, with this said, you don’t want the main pot to get waterlogged with all the water from the Pole. To avoid this, make sure that your soil mix is very airy. There will be more on this in the bottom section.
Pest Strategies
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The biggest pest for these Philos are Spider Mites. Those large leaves are a perfect home for those mites. So, the best way to deter those little buggers is to regularly spray off or wipe down their leaves. Water is the biggest deterrent to Spider Mites.
These Philos can also catch Scale if they are near other infested plants. And Scale is a bit harder to deal with. Check out my Pest Page to learn how to take care of those pesky bugs.
Growth & Propagation
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These particular Philos have climbing growth, which means they want to grow upwards and will need some support - like a moss pole or stake - to keep them from flopping over.
And they aren’t called Large-leaf Philos for nothing! Their leaves will get a lot larger if given that support and the right conditions.
Because of this growth habit, they are super easy to propagate! Just take so leaf-node cuttings and plop them in soil or water and you’re pretty much set!
Check out my Propagation Page if you have any follow up questions about propagating you Philos!
Soil Mix
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If you are growing these Philos in regular pots without Moss Poles, then you can use my regular soil mix. Check out my Soil Page for that specific recipe!
If you are growing these in a pot with a Moss Pole, you will want more drainage than the regular mix has. Otherwise it will quickly become and stay soaked with how much you are watering the Pole.
I recommend planting in a mix that is completely soilless. Instead use bark as the base to retain that moisture and add more pumice and charcoal to create that drainage.
Our Varieties
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Fuzzy Petiole
Glorious
Squamiferum
For more Care Tips:
Visit my General Care Tips page to discover more tips for:
Light Levels - Watering Frequency - Fertilizing - and More!