Heartleaf Philodendron
Heartleaf Philodendron
Philodendron hederaceum
❦ ❧ ❦
Difficulty — BeginnerThe plant I recommend most often to the anxious first-time grower, and rarely does she disappoint. Glossy, deep green, heart-shaped leaves trail from a vine that asks for almost nothing and forgives almost everything. She has furnished windowsills and bookshelves for generations of houseplant keepers, and I suspect she will furnish many more.
Notes on Cultivation
☀Light
Medium to bright, indirect light suits her best, and she is among the most shade-tolerant vines I keep — a dim corner will not kill her, though her growth slows and her leaves run smaller there. Avoid harsh direct sun.
❦Water
Let the top inch or two of soil dry between waterings. She wilts visibly when thirsty and perks back up within hours of a drink, making her forgiving of an inconsistent schedule.
☁Humidity
Ordinary household air suits her fine. She grows a little larger-leaved with extra humidity but demands none of it.
✵Temperature
Comfortable between 65 and 85 Fahrenheit, and unhappy much below 55. Otherwise she is admirably unbothered.
❧Soil
A standard, well-draining potting mix is all she needs. Nothing fussy required.
❀Fertilizing
A light, balanced feed monthly through the growing season keeps her vines lengthening steadily. She asks little more.
✿Propagation
About as easy as houseplants come — stem cuttings with a node root within a week or two in a clear cup of moist Fluval Stratum, or even in a glass of plain water. Read the full field method.
Field Observations
She is endlessly confused with the pothos, and I understand why — but look for the papery sheath, or cataphyll, that unfurls around each new leaf as it emerges; pothos leaves have no such wrapper. Her leaves also run thinner and more heart-shaped, where a pothos leaf is thicker and more oval.
She is toxic if chewed, in common with the whole aroid family, so keep her trailing vines out of reach of pets and small children.
— faithfully recorded by Mr. Phileas Plant
