Philodendron lemon lime is a common indoor plant. It is admired for its attractive, lime green colored, heart-shaped leaves, and low maintenance growth habit. An average leaf may get 5 to 8 inches long and 2 to 3 cm wide indoors while they can grow much bigger in open spaces. It is a perennial, prolific grower with long dangling vines. It belongs to the genus Philodendron and the family Araceae.
In this article, we will highlight important features of the Philodendron lemon lime plant and an introduction to the members of the genus Philodendron.
Philodendrons
Philodendron is a large genus of flowering plants. Native to central and Southern regions and rainforests of America, Philodendrons are the second largest genus in their family. Charles Plumier officially introduced it to the botanist of Europe after the mid of 16th Century.
They are popular indoor plants with bold and prominent leaves. In an indoor environment, they may reach up to a height of 3 meters. Philodendrons can reach up to double this height in wild habitats.
Types of Philodendrons
The philodendrons are divided into two subgroups:
Philodendron Climbers:
The plants in this group are adapted towards a growth pattern of climbing nearby support. They are called ‘vines’. They produce aerial roots or nodes on their stems which help them in climbing. Climbers occupy less space and are commonly used in indoor decorations and hanging pot baskets.
Philodendron lemon lime, Serpens, and blushing philodendrons are common examples.
Philodendrons Non-Climbers:
The plants of this type are terrestrial and grow without needing any support. They usually have big lobed leaves and occupy wide spaces. Non climbers are commonly found in gardens and outdoor growth habitats. They are also called self-heading or non-trailing philodendrons.
Bird’s nest philodendron and Lacy tree philodendrons are common examples of non-climbers.
Philodendron Hederaceum Lemon Lime Plant
The philodendron lemon lime is a cultivar of Philodendron Hederaceum where ‘Hederaceum’ is a species. The summarized botanical details of the plant are as under:
Family: Araceae.
Genus: Philodendron.
Species: Hederaceum.
Cultivar: Lemon Lime plant.
Philodendron Lemon Lime History
The Philodendron hederaceum is native to America. Captain William Bligh discovered it for the Western Region in the 1970s. Captain W. Bligh is famous for the “Mutiny of Bounty” and the plant was supposedly discovered in the voyage after the mutiny.
After he brought the samples from the Caribbean to England, the plant was observed and cultivated for years in the botanical gardens of England. The cuttings of the plant were then delivered to Florida. The nurseries of Florida cultivated the plant on large scale and sold it in common markets.
The Philodendron Hederaceum has a somewhat different appearance in its different life stages. This variation of foliage in different ages confused the people and it got discovered again and again and named differently. Some of the common names of aliases are P.acrocardium, deviatum, harlowii, oxydatum, and micans , However, these names are not used anymore and hederaceum is used widely.
Toxicity of Philodendron Lemon Lime
Just like its other family members, the plant body has crystals of Calcium Oxalate in it. This toxicity makes it cause allergic reactions to the eyes, throat, and esophagus on being ingested. Kids and pets are advised to stay away from the Philodendron Hederaceum lemon lime plant.
Philodendron Lemon Lime Growth Habit
It is tolerant of a wide range of light and produces long delicate vines. The leaves are electric pinkish-yellow, in the beginning, deep lemon in adulthood, and finally, turn neon green on maturity. The length of an average mature plant is around 3 meters.
Resemblance With Epipremnum aureum
The Philodendron lemon lime plant is sometimes confused with a pothos Epipremnum aureum because of its somewhat resembling appearance. However lemon lime is preferable because it is easier to grow and leaves are more attractively colored.
Philodendron Lemon Lime Care
The Lemon lime heartleaf philodendron is an easy to grow and low maintenance plant. Important features are mentioned below:
Water Requirements:
One of the important aspects of Lemon lime Philodendron care is proper watering. Plants need little quantities of water. In between the intervals of watering the upper half of the soil should be semi-dry during summers and completely dry during winters.
Humidity Requirements:
The Philodendron lemon lime plants are tolerant to dry conditions. However, it is advised to mist the plant leaves during summer to keep the foliage fresh and safe from drying.
Soil Requirement:
The soil should be fast draining to avoid any kind of issues like the root rots. Common potting mixes are fine for the heartleaf lemon lime plant. The substrate with an admixture of peat also gives good results if used as a substrate for the plant.
Light Requirements:
The Philodendron lemon lime plants can tolerate low lights and shady areas. However, exposure to bright indirect sunlight is good for lush foliage and good for the growth of the plant. One important point in care is that the plant can not withstand direct light as it burns the leaves of the plant.
The leaves of the plant may turn yellow or brown which is a sign of extra bright or direct light exposure. It is a simple burning of the plant.
If under light, the plant gets droopy.
Temperature Requirement:
The Lemon lime heartleaf philodendron plant prefers moderately warm temperatures. Temperature lesser than 10 degrees Centigrade is not bearable by the plant. The suitable temperature range is 16 to 27 degrees Centigrade.
Fertilizer Requirement:
Providing the plant with a common household plant fertilizer is an important part of the Philodendron lemon lime Care. Make sure to dilute the fertilizer up to half of its recommended dose.
In spring and summer, the plants are growing rapidly. You can feed the plant every month. In winter, Fertilizer addition can be done once in two months. As the growth is slow on cold days, extra quantities of fertilizer may burn the plant.
Grooming Requirement:
Cutting:
You can easily cut the dangling vines if you feel that they have grown enough and spread on the floor. Take a sharp sheer and cut carefully without damaging the plant. You can also remove some of the leaves on each strand by pinching to reduce the spread of the plant. Just make sure you leave behind enough leaves on the parts of the vine to keep it photosynthesizing. In some places, the vines of the lemon lime plant are reported to grow as long as 15 to 20 feet in ideal conditions.
Pinching:
Vines are commonly pinched to enhance the spread of the plant. If you feel that the lemon lime plant is not spreading appropriately, you can enhance the foliage by the technique of pinching. Just make fine cuts with your fingernails or a knife near the nodes of the plant. New stems will develop from the pinched areas resulting in enhanced foliage.
Make sure to keep the cuts fine and small enough to avoid any kind of contamination.
Repotting Requirement:
The roots of the Philodendron lemon lime plant have the ability to grow compactly and form a dense ‘boll of roots’ under the soil. This may take place after three years of plant growth in good health conditions. You can repot the plant with a bigger pot by carefully taking out the roots with a shovel. It is better to keep the soil of the previous pot intact to avoid drying out the roots in the new pot.
Growth Zones:
The Philodendron lemon lime thrives best in the USDA winter hardiness zones 9 to 11.
Lemon Lime Philodendron Propagation
The ideal season for the propagation is spring and early summer. It can be done through two common methods:
- Cuttings of Stem.
- Air Layering.
Cutting Of Stem:
- You need to take a sharp scissors and cut the upper part of the stem of a healthy plant. Make sure to add at least 3 aerial roots or nodes on the stem cutting.
- Now remove the leaves from the lower 4 inches of the stem cutting keeping two to three leaves on the upper side.
- Plant the stem cutting in moist soil or potting mix.
- Now place the pot in a warm area with indirect light. Now shoots will develop within 3 to 4 months period. This will be a sign of the success of the Propagation.
You can also propagate the plant in a water jar and then convert it into the soil once the root system is developed. It may take two to three months.
Air Layering:
This is a common method for the cultivation and multiplication of vines. In this method, leaves are removed from a part of the stem with nodes. The nodes are then placed in a small bag of soil and tied while keeping the stem attached to the plant. The soil is kept moisturized. Shoots start growing from the layered stem. This piece of the stem can now be separated from the plant to transfer it to a separate pot.
Please make sure you use gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after handling the plant. This is important to avoid any kind of toxic effect on your body.
Philodendron Lemon Lime Common Problems
Although philodendron lemon lime plant is quite popular among planters due to low maintenance and ease to care for nature. But there are some problems related to the growth of this plant as well. All the common problems are explained below along with their causative factors so that you can be careful about them.
Leggy vines:
If you see that your plant is showing leggy stems and vines, you should pay attention to its light exposure. This tropical beauty needs a good amount of bright, indirect light and when they fail to do so, their stems start to grow in a direction to acquire sunlight.
If such a situation occurs with your philodendron as well, move it near to a window.
Brownish discoloration of leaves:
Brownish discoloration of leaves is quite a common problem. It is mainly due to underwatering your plant. So it’s a sign to the planter to keep a check on the watering frequency.
While watering the plant you should always check the soil and make sure that it’s dry before watering. You should water the soil evenly and not in just one place.
Yellowish discoloration of leaves:
If your Philodendron plant begins to show yellow leaves then it’s a case of overwatering. Whenever you water your plant you need to be sure if the soil is dry. If your soil is already Moist and you still water it, this will cause yellowish leaves.
Slow growth:
If you notice that your philodendron lemon lime plant is not growing at its normal pace then you should check your surroundings. This tropical beauty cannot tolerate cold temperatures and you need to make its surroundings warm and humid. Otherwise, this plant will go into a dormant phase and not grow at its normal pace.
White soil surface:
If you notice the soil changing color to white, you might have over-fertilized your plant. Now you have two options to save your plant, one is to repot your philodendron and the other is to rinse your soil.
The better way is to repot your plant and it’s easy as well. For removing the fertilizer by rinsing the soil you’ll have to do it frequently and it’s time-consuming.
Spider mites:
Spider mites can be recognized by carefully looking at the plant and any red or black moving dots on the plant. To save your Philodendron lemon lime plant from the spider mites, first, rinse it in the faucet. Then take a solution of rubbing alcohol, neem, and hydrogen peroxide and rub it onto the plant.
You should repeat this once a week to remove any new spider mites hatchlings.
Philodendron Lemon Lime Pest Resistance
The plant is usually resistant to pest attacks in an indoor environment. However, if the environment is unsuitable the plant may get common pest attacks like mealy bugs, spider mites, or fungus maggots. You need to keep an eye on the plant or at least have a little examination of the plant once a month. Anti-pest and anti-fungal sprays are available in the markets to combat such issues.
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Conclusion
The Philodendron lemon lime plant is a popular indoor plant. The beautiful heart-shaped neon green leaves make it one of the most preferable philodendrons. The sweetheart vine is shade tolerant, low maintenance, and beautiful enough to decorate any corner of your house.
