Cut up-leaf philodendron is a placing and statuesque tropical evergreen recognized for its dramatic foliage. Its deeply lobed leaves can develop as much as three ft lengthy indoors with a width of two to 4 ft. Outside, a mature plant’s leaves could develop so long as 5 ft! The leaf stalks alone add one other two to 3 ft, making this a powerful plant.
This species, Philodendron bipinnatifidum, is commonly mistaken for an additional in style houseplant, Monstera deliciosa. Not like monstera, split-leaf has a clumping development behavior. Monstera, like another philodendrons, has a vining behavior. This development behavior earns the plant the nickname tree philodendron. Its woody stem turns into trunk-like because it ages.
Cut up-leaf philodendron is native to subtropical and tropical rainforests in South America. It can develop outside in zones September 11, however in america, it’s often saved in a pot or container so you’ll be able to relocate it within the winter.
Caring for a split-leaf philodendron in containers is most profitable when you’ll be able to mimic the surroundings it’s native to. It’s not a tough plant to develop and take care of, if you realize what it wants. Let’s discuss how one can develop this attractive plant in containers.
Step 1: Choose a Container
In the case of containers in your split-leaf philodendron, dimension issues. That is one giant philodendron, so it wants a spacious house. Along with dimension, stability and drainage are vital elements in deciding on a pot.
Begin with a pot that’s two to 4 inches bigger than the present root ball. A mature plant will want a pot that’s about 18 to 24 inches extensive. That’s a big container! Nonetheless, you don’t wish to go too huge too quickly. A very giant container will maintain an excessive amount of moisture, and you may find yourself with root rot.
The fabric of containers is one other vital issue. Terracotta is gorgeous. It ages properly, it’s breathable, and it presents a heavy, steady basis for this huge plant. On the draw back, its weight is a double-edged sword. It’s tough to maneuver round, so if that is an indoor-outdoor plant, it’s robust. They will additionally dry out too rapidly indoors.
Plastic or resin is light-weight and inexpensive, and retains moisture properly. This makes it handy for transferring out and in of the house. Nonetheless, the lightness makes them lower than fascinating for big, top-heavy specimens.
Fiberglass is sturdy and usually light-weight. There are some engaging and trendy ones on the market, and they’re simpler to maneuver round than clay. These are usually costlier than plastic, although they don’t provide considerably extra advantages aside from aesthetics.
Stone or concrete is nice for out of doors use. It’s heavy, so it’s steady sufficient to carry up a big, mature specimen. Nonetheless, it’s the heaviest kind of container, so it’s dangerous for any plant that you must transfer indoors.
Your container should have drainage holes, as split-leaf philodendron in containers hates soggy soil. If you happen to’re utilizing an ornamental container with no holes, pot it first in a plastic container with drainage so that you could take away it to water it.
Select a deep container with a large base. As your split-leaf philodendron will get taller, it wants weight on the base to maintain it from tipping over. A container with a rolling base is a plus should you plan on transferring this one round.
Step 2: Put together the Soil
Cut up-leaf philodendron in containers thrives greatest in soil that’s much like that on the rainforest flooring. It needs to be unfastened, wealthy, and properly aerated, whereas additionally holding some moisture. You need it to empty rapidly, however not dry out too quick, otherwise you’ll be watering typically (since that is such a big plant). It additionally wants a barely acidic surroundings.
You may merely buy a pre-made aroid potting combine if you wish to go the straightforward route. Nonetheless, I do know that many plant lovers like to combine their very own. So right here is an efficient recipe for a combination that can make your philodendron happiest in its container:
If you need one thing a bit easier, you can begin with two components of high-quality potting soil. Add one half perlite and one half peat moss.
Step 3: Select a Location
Within the wild, split-leaf philodendron grows on the rainforest flooring. It will get daylight filtered via the cover overhead, which is taken into account dappled solar. Indoors and in a container, this equates to what we take into account shiny, oblique (or filtered) gentle.
To attain this sort of gentle, you’ll be able to place your plant close to a sunny window. However maintain it ready the place it doesn’t get direct solar, however is uncovered to the sunshine for a lot of hours through the day. If this isn’t potential, and your plant will in any other case be in direct daylight, you should use a sheer curtain to behave as a filter.
Your split-leaf philodendron in containers will tolerate medium gentle, however it should lean towards the sunshine supply, and the leaves will likely be smaller. In direct daylight, your leaves will develop giant, however they’re prone to get burned, inflicting yellow or brown patches.
One last consideration (and this is applicable to most houseplants) is that you simply wish to rotate the container. If you happen to go away it in a single spot for too lengthy, all of the leaves will face the sunshine supply. Each few weeks, give it 1 / 4 to half flip in order that the leaves face completely different instructions all the way in which round. You’ll have a extra balanced and engaging plant this fashion.
Step 4: Water Often
Watering potted crops is all the time the trickiest a part of care. This one wants stability, with soil that’s constantly moist, however by no means soggy. Your container and soil play a big position on this. A pot with correct drainage holes and soil that stays moist however drains rapidly is crucial.
It’s tough to provide a precise quantity of watering for any plant, as evaporation is influenced by the surroundings. Extra gentle and extra warmth will trigger your soil to dry quicker. Extra humidity or much less gentle will maintain it moist longer. The scale of your container additionally influences watering. So there isn’t any one-size-fits-all frequency of watering.
As a substitute of timing it, make a behavior of checking your soil with a finger. Stick your finger about two inches into the soil. If the highest inch or two is dry, it’s time to water. If it’s nonetheless damp, examine once more in just a few days.
Your split-leaf philodendron gained’t want the identical quantity of water throughout each season, both. In spring and summer season, when it’s actively rising, it should want extra. In winter, will probably be semi-dormant and wish much less water. An excessive amount of water when it’s dormant can equate to root rot.
Step 5: Handle Temperature and Humidity
Whether or not it’s in a container or within the floor, split-leaf philodendron prefers an identical temperature and humidity stage because the tropical rainforest it’s native to. The best temperature vary for this plant is 65 to 85°F (18-29°C). Dips under 55°F (13°C) can gradual the expansion and trigger stress to the leaves.
Preserve your container away from drafts, air vents, and heaters, because the fluctuations in temperature could cause issues. Leaf drop or yellowing are frequent signs of stress resulting from temperature fluctuation.
This plant loves humidity. It might be tough to provide it an excessive amount of with out doing injury to your property. Whereas it should tolerate ranges between 40% and 50%, it prefers extra. Ideally, split-leaf likes to hang around between 60% and 80% humidity. It’s an excellent plant for a sunny lavatory.
Step 6: Feed
Fertilizer is a should for many tropical crops in containers. It actually is for this one. It’s a big plant with big leaves, and it must feed constantly throughout its rising season. Nonetheless, it prefers a gradual and regular methodology versus often heavy doses.
In spring via fall, feed your split-leaf philodendron in containers frequently. As soon as each 4 to 6 weeks is good. Use a balanced system like a 10-10-10, diluted to half energy. You too can use a system made particularly for tropicals.
In its place, you should use a slow-release granular fertilizer twice a 12 months. One utility in spring and one in mid-summer is excellent. Use a balanced or barely nitrogen-heavy system for sturdy foliage development. Combine it into the highest inch of soil.
In late fall, it’s best to cut back or cease fertilizing altogether. In the identical manner that it gained’t use as a lot water whereas dormant, it gained’t use many vitamins both. It’s simple for unused fertilizer to construct up in your container and burn the roots.
Step 7: Prune
Rising a split-leaf philodendron in a container is an easy process for many of the 12 months. If you happen to take note of the rhythms of development, you’ll have a simple time of it. The place pruning comes into play, you wish to work on this plant simply earlier than it enters its lively development part.
Now, all year long, it’s all the time good to take away broken and yellowing leaves. These simply drain power that could possibly be utilized to new foliage. Nonetheless, it might use some common pruning in late winter, simply earlier than the spring rising season.
Take away any yellow or browning leaves first, all the time utilizing a clear, sharp device. In case your philodendron is getting crowded and bushy, you’ll be able to skinny out a few of the decrease and interior stems to permit higher air and solar penetration.
You can provide it an total shaping if you wish to, trimming overgrowth or development that’s inconsistently distributed. Eradicating aerial roots is a subject for some debate, however in the end, you’ll be able to go away them or take away them. No matter makes you content. They do assist with moisture absorption and total assist, however they aren’t integral to survival.
Step 8: Repot as Wanted
It is a reasonably quick grower in heat climate, and grows extra slowly in cooler temperatures. Inside the house, in a container, anticipate it to be reasonable. Outside, it should develop quicker. It doesn’t prefer to be root-bound, as this makes it harder for it to soak up water and vitamins (each of which it’s keen on).
Because it grows bigger, the woody root system must unfold out in order for you the cover to do the identical. Typically, it’s best to repot this in a brand new, bigger container each two to 3 years. Once you discover the roots beginning to circle the pot or develop via the drainage holes, it’s time.
Once you repot, transfer up in container dimension by two to 4 inches. That is important, however don’t go so giant that you find yourself with moisture points. Keep in mind that a bigger pot with a smaller plant will keep moist longer. This makes it simple to overwater.
General, you wish to maintain your split-leaf philodendron in a container giant sufficient to accommodate its root system. Nonetheless, you don’t wish to find yourself with root rot, so don’t go overboard. Measurement up progressively.