Are you someone who struggles with growing plants and seems to kill all of them off no matter how hard you try? Would you like to add some more flowers to your home but fear that you do not have a green thumb to take care of it all? Then a Philodendron Brasil plant is the best one for you.
The Philodendron Brasil is a stunning plant that is easy for beginners to learn how to grow. It can handle many conditions around it and even does fine after a bit of neglect. It has soil and temperature conditions that it thrives in, but even when things are not perfect, it is going to grow well and can even jump back after a bit of mishandled care.
At first glance, this plant looks like a diva and will be really picky with some of the things it likes. You can breathe a sigh of relief when you realize this plant is low-maintenance and can grow like crazy without all the hassle of other plants. Each flower is unique, it can grow like crazy, and requires relatively little care, which makes it one of the best plants to add to your home
Image Credit : Terrariumtribe
Philodendron Brasil Plant Care Guide
The Philodendron Brasil is a great plant to have around your home, but you do need to use the right care and attention for it to ensure that it will grow well and not dry out. With this in mind, some of the different things you should consider for proper plant care of this plant include:
Light requirements
This plant likes bright and indirect light. It does fine with lower light though so this can work if you are worried about the amount of light in your home.
Watering
Once you notice that the top half of the soil is dry, then do a thorough watering of the whole plant. Watering this plant too often will make it get sick and can cause root rot and other similar problems.
Soil
When picking out the soil for this plant, you should go with a loose and well-draining potting medium to make things easier. A good option is to do a 50:50 mix that has perlite with other coco coir or peat.
Temperature
This is a good plant to keep around because it can handle a wider range of temperatures compared to some of the other home plants. This one is happiest in temperatures between 60 to 86 degrees, though occasionally higher temperatures will be fine.
Fertilizing
You should consider fertilizing this plant to help it stay healthy. When it is actively growing, you should do the fertilizer at least once a month
Humidity
This plant will be tolerant to different ranges of humidity so it can work well no matter where you are living. However, it does like average to high humidity if that is possible.
Flowering
It does have a bit of flowering on occasion. This is not likely to happen if you keep the plant inside so if you are looking to see the flowers, you will need to grow them outside.
Pruning
This is a simple plant to remove. Do some pruning on occasion to help remove any of the foliage that has died.
Unlike some of the other plants that you may try to grow in your home, the Philodendron Brasil is easier to take care of. It can handle environments that do not match up to the limits above, making it easier to take care of the plant for a beginner. To see it thrive and do really well though, you need to stick as close to some of these options as possible. Even with a bit of neglect though, this type of plant will thrive.
You may also want to read: Philondendrum Birkin Plant Care Guide |Calathea Ornata Plant Care
Philodendron Brasil Propagation (2-3 Steps)
If you are looking to propagate this plant, the process is relatively easy. each of the leaf nodes will make a tiny baby Brasil for you, giving you a lot of yields for very little work. The steps that you can use to help with this include:
Make the Cuttings
To get the fastest results, you can select the nodes on the stems that already have roots. You can then discard the new leaves and the tip. Make sure that you cut below the node, leaving a minimum of one leaf to power more growth. If possible, a two-node cutting is better.
Place Into a Growing Medium
You can choose either water or soil for this one. Using clean water can be a fun way to propagate because you can see the roots as they grow. Make the cuttings long enough to submerge the nodes. Do not add anything to the water, though you can replace it every few days. Once the cutting has roots an inch long, move to the soil.
Some people like to work with the soil method. This means you will take the cutting and place it directly into a new pot. This can take out some of the fun but saves time on transplanting later. Keep the soil moist to encourage the roots.
Give Moisture and Light
The new plant should take about two to four months to mature. Avoid fertilizer until the roots have time to establish. The amount of warmth and light that you give the plant will determine how quickly they grow.
Types and Varieties of Philodendron Brasil Plant
The Philodendron plant is a popular one to have around your home, giving you a lot of beauty without all of the hard care and maintenance that some of the other plants like to have. Some of the most common varieties of this plant include:
1. Green Heartleaf Philodendron
This is a beautiful plant that has dark-green leaves that are in the shape of hearts. This does well as a climbing or hanging plant.
2. Philodendron Micans
This is a velvet-leaf option with a trailing vine as well. You will love the feel of the leaves and how the light shines on these plants to give them unique looks.
3. Philodendron Xanadu
This is an upright and non-climbing variety of this plant. It is an indoor option that can really change up the space. It has evergreen leaves that look great as well.
4. Philodendron Pink Princess
This one adds a bit of color with green and pink leaves. This is a vining plant, though you can make it look busy by pruning. This is one of the fussier variants of this plant.
5. Lacy Tree Philodendron
This is similar to the Xanadu plant and has similar leaves, though these are softer than what we would see with other varieties. The leaves are going to become huge before they start drooping. Save room before you pick this one.
These are other great Philodendron options that you can keep around your home, instead of or in addition to the Philodendron Brasil that we have been exploring so far.
Common Problems with Philodendron Brasil
It is important to provide your plant with some of the proper care that it needs to thrive. This is a hearty plant, one that is going to stick around even when you are not always the nicest to it, but you will need to watch out for some of the common problems that will show up.
The first thing is pests. While this is a resistant plant when it comes to some of the pests out there, it does have some big, leafy leaves that the pests are going to love along the way. It is best to spray it down with a pesticide or use an all-natural option to keep the leaves safe. the good news is that this plant can usually recover well if you catch the pest infestation quickly.
The biggest diseases that happen with this plant have to do with it being in very wet conditions. These can cause some mold and other fungi to grow on the plant and ruin it without proper care. You do need to monitor how wet this plant gets. It is best to underwater it rather than overwater it. If you can just your finger just a bit into the soil and it feels wet under the surface, it is not time to water it yet.
This plant will be prone to a number of bacterial and fungal leaf spots and the diseases that show up with this. This can include a white, mossy material on the leaves and stems, bright yellow patches on the leaves, and even dry and wilted leaves. Monitor the water conditions to try and avoid this.
Tips for Philodendron Brasil Care
To avoid some of the common problems above with this plant, you should consider how much care you are giving to each plant. There are many ways that you can take care of this plant including:
- If you place just one of these plants into the pot, it is going to look leggy, even when it is healthy. For those who would like a bushier look to the plant, you will need to have several in the same pot. If you want to start a new pot through propagation, have at least 10 cuttings in the pot.
- If you see that the plants are leggy and sparse, trim them back to help bring in the thicker growth.
- The leaves of this plant are often going to grow larger when you stake the plant. You will need to use a smooth tie to help attach it to the stake through and help it get bigger.
- If the top of the plant has some bald spots, you can bring the stems up to the soil and use bobby pins to secure to the soil. After a few weeks, the new growth will emerge, and can fill out that section.
- Be careful with overwatering the plant. This can cause several health problems and fungi on the plants. Wait until the soil has some time to dry out before watering again.
- Do not let any pesticides or fertilizer dry on the leaves. When the leaves wrinkle up, it is a symptom of a phytotoxic reaction. You can wash off the leaves to prevent more damage if this occurs.
- Mature leaves on the plant will decline with age. The leaves will become discolored and then fall off. You need to look at the newer leaves to see if the plant is dealing with stress or not.
The good news is this plant is relatively easy to take care of, even for beginners. If you mess up a little or ignore the plant, it is not likely to die out on you and can still survive for a long time.
Pests, disease, and toxicity in plant
Just like with any of the plants that you bring into your home, some pests will love this plant. However, compared to some of the common Philodendron diseases, the Philodendron Brasil will be resistant to pests and as long as you find a good pesticide to protect it, this plant will recover quickly too.
This plant is prone to fungal and bacterial leaf spot diseases if they are in really wet conditions. Avoid watering them if it has been rainy and wet in your area and use extra caution when watering if the plant is kept in your home.
The Philodendron Brasil is going to be mildly toxic to animals and humans if they ingest the plant. It is best to just enjoy the beauty of this plant, either in your home or in the yard, and do not try to eat it at all.
Conclusion
The Philodendron Brasil is a great plant to add to your home. With a little bit of care and attention, you will be able to enjoy this flower and all of the awesome blooms that it provides, and the ease of care that you can get from this plant.