Who wouldn’t want to grow Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum, a stunning houseplant, easy to care for, with enormous green heart-shaped leaves and a velvety gloss that is unrivaled? If you’re looking for a beautiful vining plant to decorate your houses, baskets, or trellis then this is the one for you.
Its origins are traced back to Ecuador and Peru. This is the most attractive plant in the family with Emerald Silky leaves and deep-yellowish green petals. It is a must-have for indoor gardeners. It looks uncannily like Philodendron Verrucosum and has a similar growth pattern. The only difference is that it is less hairy and lacks the red abaxial.
Want to buy one for yourself? Then get to know about its specifications, care, and propagation with this guide.
Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum Classification
Family: Araceae
Genus: Philodendron
Specie: P. Pseudoverrucosum
Genus: Philodendron
The term philodendron comes from the two Greek words Philo-, which means “love, affection,” and dendron, which means “tree.” Philodendron is the generic name, and “philodendron” is the English name.
The genus Philodendron is still poorly understood taxonomically, with several unnamed species. However, there were 489 species in this genus in 2015. Regardless of the number of species, behind the genus Anthurium, this blooming genus is the second-largest member of the Araceae family.
Features of the Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum Plant
Size
When mature, they can extend to a height of 1-3 feet and a width of 3-5 feet.
Leaves
The leaves of the Philodendron pseudoverrucosum are large ovoid to spear-like. As the plant grows, the appearance of the emerald green, silky leaves changes from rugged into soft and silky. Petioles, which are short and compact, provide support for the wide leaves.
Toxicity
It is a dangerous shrub with lethal foliage. It has calcium oxalate crystals in its leaves, which are harmful to humans and dogs because the oxalates produce “raphides,” which are small, needle-like objects.
When this plant is consumed, it may cause oral irritation, pain and swelling of the mouth, tongue, and lips, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, excessive drooling, and diarrhea. So, you should keep this plant out of reach of your pets or kids.
Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum Care
It is an easy-to-grow plant that requires minimal care. It’s a thermophyte that thrives in temperatures between 20 and 27 ℃. You should water it per week during the spring season and biweekly during the winter. A humidity level of 60% or higher should be maintained.
Quick Guide
Watering: One time per week.
Sunlight: Bright and Indirect.
Soil type: Miracle and Lightweight Potting soil.
Temperature: 20 to 27 degrees Celsius.
Humidity: 60% and above.
Fertilizer: liquid or slow-acting.
Water Requirement
During the spring season, water the plant frequently. Before watering, allow the soil to dry a bit. Weather, temperature, humidity, and sun all influence the frequency of watering. Water it weekly in the spring, three times a week in the summer, and one time within a frame of 2 weeks in the winter.
Overwatering may smother the roots, causing severe plant issues such as root rot or even death. The roots may also wither if the soil is fully dry. If you’re a beginner, inspect the top two inches of the soil with your fingers. Before watering it again, it should be left to dry.
Water the soil directly, avoid watering the leaves from above. To add moisture to the leaves, mist them. After watering the pot, leave it aside to allow any extra water to drain.
Sunlight Requirement
Bright, indirect sunshine is ideal for the Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum. This plant thrives in tropical woods with a high canopy of trees above, allowing diffused sunlight to reach the ground. It’s for this reason that this plant thrives in scattered sunshine or moderate shade. You must keep it out of direct sunlight since the rays are strong and can hurt the vegetation.
The awning by trees protects it from direct sunlight in its native habitat. To shield it from extreme sunshine indoors, one should not position its jardinière too close to a window, mainly one that faces west or south. It might also be placed close to an east-facing window with drapes, protection cover, or thin curtains.
As a result, you should position it in a location where it will receive adequate indirect sunshine. Many individuals prefer to have branches dangling from the window. So, make sure the plant does not receive direct sunlight in this circumstance. As a result, shade it with a cloth or a net. To minimize direct sunlight reaching the plant in an outdoor planting, place it behind another tree or against a wall.
Soil/Substrate Requirement for philodendron pseudoverrucosum
Pseudo verrucosum needs the correct soil to thrive. This plant will not grow in an ordinary potting mix. Typical miracle soil is unable to drain well and has inadequate air pockets to allow for enough aeration.
You should add peat moss and perlite to it if you want to use it to increase the growth of your plant. Pot moss improves the soil’s effluence and moisture-retaining ability, whereas perlite improves aeration.
Mix one portion of peat moss and one portion perlite in a portion of potting soil to get the appropriate potting mix for this Philodendron. Orchid bark and charcoal may also be used to develop this beautiful aroid. Compost can also be added to the potting mix to boost its fertility.
However, it is not necessary to use this mixture. Any well-draining Aroid potting mixture typically available on the market can be used.
Temperature Requirement
Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum can easily thrive at a high temperature. You can grow this plant indoors if you reside in an area where the standard ambient temperature is within 20°C-27°C. The growth of the plant is directly proportional to temperature.
Temperature ranging less than 12°C is too low for this plant to thrive. If you are living in a chilly area, consider placing the Philo in a conservatory to keep it safe from cold damage. They do, however, thrive in warm climates. It develops at its usual rate at 20°C, which is the optimal temperature for healthy development.
High humidity and a temperature of 25°C are ideal for assisting your Philo to grow faster and produce more leaves. Providing warmth, on the other hand, does not imply that you leave your plant in a blazing area. Try to keep temperature not too high and not too low as the low temperature tends to seize its growth.
Humidity Requirement
This stunning Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum plant hails from the premontane wet forest and moist forest. In the rainforests, humidity levels are typically higher than 90%. So, this plant prefers a humid climate when cultivated indoors.
To grow, the Philo requires a lot of dampness. The brilliant hue of its blades begins to fade under low humidity, which is the exact opposite of what every plant owner desire. As a result, maintain the humidity level high within the room where the plant is being kept.
For the luxuriant growth of the blades, try to have a humidity level of 90 ℃. If you are unable to then at least maintain the level of the dampness of the plant over 60%.
The easiest approach to raise the humidity in a space is to use a humidifier. Its natural humidity is increased by assembling it with the humidifying plants. This plant may also be placed atop a pebble tray to improve the dampness in the area.
Also, you can spray your plant while keeping it inside the terrarium. The glass will allow retaining moisture in leaves and roots.
Fertilizer Requirement
Because this Philodendron is a plant that utilizes food quickly, so fertilization should be done routinely. For this Philo, you need to use a well-proportioned fertilizer.
A Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum plant responds well to slow-release fertilizer. Because they release a modest, consistent amount of nutrients throughout time, the nutrients are available to the roots for a longer length of time. Tiny colored balls or small sticks are available to apply this sort of fertilizer. It’s covered in plastic resin or sulfur-based polymers, which degrade over time as a result of exposure to water, heat, sunshine, and/or soil microorganisms.
Before applying fertilizer, irrigate the plant to keep its roots from burning.
In the spring and summertime, if you’re using fertilizer in a liquid form, use fertilizer one time a month. However, if you are using a delayed-release fertilizer, you should only fecundate the plant two times per year.
During the winter, perform plant fertilization four times per year with liquid plant food. However, you should keep in mind diluting the fertilizer with water to a fraction of its intensity before conditioning the plant.
Pruning Requirements
Pruning is not required for the brilliant Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum. This species has a naturally velvety, elegant look that requires no extra maintenance. Its leaves take on a beautiful form as it matures.
The yellowish blades, on the other hand, must be trimmed occasionally. The plant is relieved of a load of preserving dead leaves with this form of trimming. You may also trim the plant to get rid of any excessive branches or lanky growth.
Before trimming your plant, make sure your gardening pruners are clean. All you have to do is disinfect a pair of sharp scissors with ethanol or alcohol and cut the side branches. This should be done before the growing season to avoid stressing the stem.
Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum Propagation
There is no need to buy a new Philo plant to increase your collection when you can just propagate them on your own. The plant is just as simple to propagate as it is to propagate other Philodendrons like Philodendron Black Cardinal, Philodendron Hastatum, etc.
Stem cuttings are used to propagate all of these Philodendron types. When these plants are actively growing, you can easily get the cuttings from the emergence of planting season till the height of summer.
Stem cuttings, seeds sowing, and air layering can all be used to achieve this.
Spring and summer are the most common seasons for propagating most plants. To be more specific, the days between the middle of these two seasons show the best results in terms of successful propagation.
If you are a beginner, go for the stem cutting method for Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum, as it is the easiest one. Here is the sequential guide for your assistance:
Stem Cutting Method
- Lacerate a 4-7 inch long, salubrious stalk from the Philo with sterilized pruners. On the wounds of the parent plant, it is preferable to apply powdered cinnamon. This will aid in quicker healing and infection prevention.
- This cutting should be dipped in auxin hormone and left overnight to develop calluses for the better growth of the plant.
- One by third of a little vessel should be filled with well-draining potting soil. Peat moss, pine bark, or perlite can also be used for the growth
- The similar miracle soil that the parent plant was given can be used. Plant the stem cutting in the middle of the potting mix and thoroughly water it.
- This container should be kept in a well-lit area (indirect sunlight) with a warm temperature. You should also take care of dampness by placing a humidifier.
- Wait for 3-7 months for small branches to develop and multiply. After the Philo is fully developed, you can transfer the baby branch to a larger pot at this point.
Precautions:
It’s never too late to be safe! To avoid the plant’s toxicity, cuts and bruises put on gloves before cutting and handling it.
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Conclusion
Philodendron Pseudoverrucosum would make a wonderful addition to any home. This attractive, vining plant can be found in any room of the house.
Philodendrons are one of the most attractive indoor plants available with their big heart-shaped leaves. They also exhibit a silky sheen that is uncommon in the plant realm.
They’re extremely simple to tend for, so growing a Philo inside isn’t difficult. Its leaves not only adorn the environment but also purify the air. So it’s a win-win scenario if you cultivate this plant at home!
