Philodendron Verrucosum is a perennial belonging to the family of Araceae. In the temperate climatic zone it is used as houseplants. According to the latest data, about 300 plant species are known, but not all subspecies can be grown at home.
philodendron verrucosum Habitat
The natural habitat of Philodendron Verrucosum is the rainforests of South America and Australia. Also found in Mexico and the Pacific Islands, where it was introduced by travelers.
An interesting fact is that the plant has a beneficial effect on the microclimate of the room. Waste products help cleanse the air of harmful formaldehyde accumulations. Also, the plant has a beneficial effect on the work of the cardiovascular system.
Philodendron species differ in color, leaf shape and structure.
philodendron verrucosum plant Description
This is a large species of Philodendron, which is distinguished by large velvety leaves and tough stems that have a hairline. Popular with gardeners for its unusual leaves. Also among the characteristic features can be distinguished short internodes, velvety outer side of the leaves, semi-cylindrical petioles.
The shoots are fragile, have a pale green tint. The inner surface of the leaf is paler than the outer one.
Interesting Philodendron Facts
Aroid plants are among the most mysterious and unexplored. Anyone who tries to understand the classification of plants is faced with multiple options for which genus the plant belongs to. The reason is the large number of philodendrons, the difficulty of studying them in their natural habitat, as well as the amazing ability to adapt.
Interestingly, philodendrons change completely as they mature. In many species, “baby”, whole heart-shaped leaves are basically different from those already “adult” formed. Adult leaves become more feathery, finger-like, as if dissected.
This fact makes it very difficult to study the flower, however, amateur flower growers are only happy with the original appearance of the plant and often compete on this soil!
There are also many beliefs associated with the philodendron. For example, there is a belief that a flower can predict the weather – talk about the coming rain. But, this is not true – the flower does not predict the weather. If small droplets of moisture appear on its leaves, then you are over-watering it.
Some superstitions say a philodendron that rarely blooms in indoor conditions can “take away” profit from the house or become a lovebird. Others say that the flower helps to strengthen the relationship between parents and children, and also helps to increase wealth. Therefore, when choosing flowers, look not at superstition, but at the fact that you like the plant and you can take care of it.
philodendron verrucosum Care
philodendron verrucosum Lighting and temperature
The lighting should be bright all year round, but not in direct sunlight (diffuse). The windows facing east and west are ideal. Philodendron warty belongs to heat-loving plants and develops well only in warm rooms without drafts. The optimum temperature is 20-25 ° C, without sudden changes.
Air humidity for philodendron verrucosum
The plant is very demanding for air humidity. It suffers especially badly during the winter and summer months. His leaf plate is velvet, so I do not recommend spraying. You can spray around the water with a mist or put a pot with a plant in a wide pan with wet expanded clay, adding water to it as it evaporates. But care must be taken that the bottom of the pot does not touch the water. You can increase the air humidity in winter by hanging wet towels on heating devices or by turning on a special humidifier.
Pot and substrate for philodendron verrucosum
Since this philodendron is very sensitive to excess moisture, the container was small, with a lot of drainage holes. A layer of expanded clay about 3 cm was laid on the bottom. The soil is universal, I added a little perlite for looseness. The main thing is that the mixture is light, airy. After planting, she watered abundantly.
Transplant or repotting philodendron verrucosum
It is best to do the transshipment without destroying the root ball. I handle small cuttings of a philodendron a maximum of two times a year, as the root system develops. Large specimens – every two years, in the spring (March-April). The pot is 5-7 cm larger than before.
philodendron verrucosum Watering and fertilizing
The plant does not tolerate both the gulf of soil (the root system is very thin and rots easily) and drying (the leaves lose their turgor, and after recovery the plant still begins to shed the lower ones, losing their decorative appearance). I water it with soft, settled water after lightly drying the top layer of the soil.
The first time I applied fertilizers for decorative leaf plants a couple of months after planting. From March to September, she fed him twice a month at half the concentration indicated on the package. In the rest of the period – once a month.
philodendron verrucosum Pests
Despite the good care and good location, a spider mite appeared on my philodendron in the summer. This was facilitated by the warmth and low humidity. Three times treatment with Fitoverm at an interval of five days helped to get rid of the pest.
Propagation Philodendron Verrucosum Plant
It is quite difficult to propagate the warty philodendron. I do this in two ways. I wrap the trunk with a formed top sheet, where aerial roots are outlined, with a large amount of wet sphagnum. Then I wrap the moss with transparent cling film. It is necessary to ensure that the moss is always well moistened. When the future cutting has two or three leaves and good roots, it can be cut off. I do this with a clean sharp knife, sprinkle the cut with activated charcoal, and plant the cutting along with the moss in the ground in a small container.
Recently I tried the method of rooting in boiled water. The main thing is that there are two leaves on the handle, and it should be apical with outlined roots. The roots began to grow on the fourth day, and when they reached 3-4 cm, the cutting was planted in the ground in a transparent cup (for observation). Young roots are white, over time they turn red. After the cuttings are well rooted and they need another transshipment, I advise you to plant several plants together in one pot – for splendor. If all the conditions are met, the philodendron will grow very quickly, and in the future, it will need support, which it is advisable to place in advance during transplantation. Ideally, this is a tube wrapped in sphagnum moss. But you can use coconut fiber support.
