Philodendron is very suitable for people with little plant experience. Because the plant Philodendron, also called tree friend, is easy to care for and robust.
Philodendron originates from South America and belongs to the arum family. The plant is popular in this country as a low-maintenance, undemanding houseplant. Philodendron, also called tree friend, can grow hanging and also climbing.
Philodendron is often confused with the equally popular Monstera deliciosa (window leaf). While the two are related and both belong to the arum family, they differ in growth and appearance.
Philodendron: the ideal location
In order for your Philodendron to thrive, you should find a suitable place for it in your home. Always keep in mind that the tree friend grows relatively quickly. The optimal location looks like this:
- semi-shade, but like light,
- no direct sunlight,
- no draught,
- 18 to 22 degrees Celsius.
Also, philodendrons like high humidity. So if you have a bathroom with a window, this is a suitable place for it. Unlike many other plants, philodendron tolerates quite dark corners.
Tip: If you don’t have a green thumb but still want to beautify your home with plants, ivy is also a good choice.
Philodendron care: Watering and fertilizing
Philodendron is popular among plant lovers not only because of its fast growth, but also because of its low maintenance requirements:
- You need to water the tree friend about once a week in summer, and only every two weeks in winter. The inside of the root ball should always be slightly moist. The top two centimeters of the soil can be allowed to dry out between the weekly watering. Make absolutely sure that no waterlogging occurs.
- In addition, you can spray the Philodendron once or twice a week with stale tap water. This will increase the humidity and at the same time remove dust from the leaves.
- From April to October, you should fertilize twice a month with a conventional complete fertilizer. In winter it is sufficient to fertilize every six weeks.
- Philodendron grows very quickly and therefore takes up a lot of space. If it gets too big for you or certain shoots get too long, you can simply cut it at any point. It tolerates this well.
- In winter you should make sure that the temperature does not drop significantly below 15 degrees. You can also simply overwinter the philodendron in a heated room.