Last Updated on March 22, 2021 by Sophie
One of the most beautiful and striking of all philodendrons is that of Philodendron gloriosum, which is characterised by its velvety green leaves that grow in a heart shape and are permeated by white veins. Here’s your ultimate Philodendron gloriosum guide including watering tips, what substrate to use, and how to propagate this indoor house plant.
The gloriosum comes from the Araceae family, and originates from Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and parts of Brazil. Unlike some other philodendrons, the gloriosum can get incredibly large given that it is planted in a large enough pot. In the wild, the leaves can reach a staggering 36 inches, though this is not very likely in a home environment.
Though harder to care for than something such as the silver sword philodendron, the gloriosum remains fairly easy to care for and is considered an intermediate jungle plant. Though the most common version of this plant is a dark green leaf with white veins, leaves can also have veins of pink, pale green, or pale pink.
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Gloriosum Philodendron: creeping or climbing plant?
One of the top things to know about philodendrons is that they come in either climbing or creeping varieties. Whereas the Monstera adansonii and Monstera deliciosa are climbing plants and do well when trained to grow up a moss pole, the gloriosum is a creeping plant which grows close to the ground in the wild and should be allowed to grow horizontally in your indoor space.
Philodendron gloriosum Plant Care & Watering Guide
Watering your Gloriosum
When it comes to watering philodendron plants, I personally leave the top few inches of the soil to dry out between waterings so as to avoid root rot, from which there is little chance of recovery. As such, when it comes to caring for the plant, it’s better to err on the side of under-watering as opposed to overwatering.
One of the biggest problems with philodendrons is that they enjoy high humidity levels. This can be particularly tricky during the winter in your home as central heating can dry out the air. Consider misting the plant every few days to help maintain high enough humidity levels.
Another way to keep higher levels of humidity is to consider grouping several philodendron plants together. In order to maintain excellent plant health, try to maintain house temperatures of at least 18 degrees celsius. If you are keeping your plant outdoors in the summer months, then bring it inside if there’s a risk of frost.
Best soil conditions for the gloriosum Philodendron
The best kind of soil mix is, much like many other indoor house plants which find their origins in the jungle, a well-draining mix with some organic material. Most garden centres that sell indoor plants will have a selection of specially formulated soil mixes for jungle plants.
With this being said, there is no set formula and pre-made jungle house plant mixes can be a little on the pricey side. If the soil you purchase is too heavy for indoor plants, then you can try adding some sand or perlite so that it becomes better draining. An orchid potting mix with added peat can also work well.
One particular feature that you should note when potting the gloriosum, that separates it from other philodendrons, is that you should pot the plant up in a rectangular pot with drainage holes as opposed to a round one. This is because, being a creeping plant, the philodendron will soon spread to the edges of the pot and you don’t want to have to repot the plant more often than necessary.
Best light conditions for the Philodendron gloriosum
Much like other Philodendrons, avoid direct sunlight areas such as directly in front of a south facing window as this will scorch the leaves and cause the soil to dry out too quickly. Scorched leaves are hard to recover from, and since gloriosums are often sold with only one or two leaves, you don’t want to risk burning the leaves.
Instead, the ideal place for the gloriosum is somewhere that the indoor jungle plant can receive bright, indirect sunlight. An East or West facing window is ideal. If the plant isn’t receiving enough light, then the leaves can start to appear dull. If this happens, move the philodendron to a brighter area.
Philodendron gloriosum flowers
Most philodendrons are kept thanks to their beautiful foliage. Unlike orchids, Spathiphyllum, or Anthurium, it’s notoriously hard to make a Philodendron gloriosum flower. With this being said, given the right growing conditions, the plant will produce white flowers around every May to July.
How to propagate Philodendron gloriosum
It’s fairly easy to propagate new gloriosum plants from your mother plant, which in turn is a great opportunity to create free new houseplants for yourself or gifts for other plant loving friends (especially because the Philodendron gloriosum is one of the more expensive Philodendron houseplants on the market).
Simply cut the plant with a section that includes one, and preferably two, nodes. Be sure that the mother plant still has a number of remaining leaves and stem as you don’t want to weaken the original plant by cutting it back too much.
Then place the cutting in water and wait for several weeks (sometimes a couple of months), and roots will begin to form from the node. Once the roots are several inches long and the plant is water rooted, pot up the cutting in a well-draining potting mix and you’ll have a brand new plant addition to your home. Avoid overwatering your newly created potted cutting!
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