Philodendron Gloriosum Plant Care & Growing Guide

The Philodendron Gloriosum is a houseplant with a heart shape, dark green color with white veins visible within. This houseplant belongs to the Araceae family which grows on the ground horizontally.

This creeper, indoor houseplant is ideally planted on well-drained soil ground to spread or trail within the earth. If you want this creeper to turn into a gorgeous decorative, you can grow them indoors as long as they have access to indirect sunlight. Like placing them beside the window.

The plant, as mentioned earlier, is not an ideal plant for beginners or gardeners who are impatient. This houseplant requires lots of the gardener’s patience to grow. Despite its slow-growing pace, this plant can best thrive in tropical and subtropical areas.

The plant was native to Colombia. Although, it has also been present in different parts of Central and South America.

The table below shows the basic information about the Philodendron Gloriosum Plant Care Guide

Philodendron Gloriosum Plant Care Basics

The Philodendron Gloriosum is a slow-growing plant, yet it requires simple needs to survive and thrive. The plant itself is vulnerable to pests and diseases if not taken care of properly.

This tropical plant is particular to the amount of sunlight, water, and humidity needed to prevent the plant from wilting or dying. 

We need to follow specific Philodendron Gloriosum care guides or care tips for the plant to survive and thrive while growing.

Here are the Philodendron Gloriosum care guide or care tips that gardeners must know about the plant.

Soil Requirement

The soil requirement of the Gloriosum philodendron should be well-draining soil, rich in nutrients and organic matter that will give proper nourishment to the plant. You may add organic issues to the sandy and loamy soil, such as peat, pine bark, perlite, and an orchid potting mix.

These organic matters retain the dampness and allow oxygenation for the plant.

Another ideal organic matter to be added to the soil mixture would be charcoal. Charcoal was known to remove toxic elements from the soil or the plant, and it was known to sweeten the soil.

Sphagnum peat moss can also be added to the soil mixture to help maintain the humidity level and the moisture needed for the plant. Peat moss is.

The soil must not be denser to prevent the root system from being strangled. The potting mix should be followed for the Gloriosum to grow well.

Watering Needs

Water only when the top inch of soil is dry.

The water requirement of the plant should be a minimal to medium amount of water. This amount would be enough to prevent the plant from getting too wet or sagged. The plant highly recommends slight moisture around the soil.

When you are about to water the plant, enough amount will do. Do not water the plant a soaking wet, the roots and leaves of Philodendron Gloriosum pink will suffer. When planted along the ground, do the same thing.

Overwatering and underwatering the plant should be prevented to maintain the plant healthy and away from further complications. The plant needed only a sufficient amount of water to keep the soil moist. Excessive or deficiency of water could make the leaves appear to droop.

Overwatering the plant causes root rot. However, you need to check the topsoil if moisture is present before watering the plant again. Aside from that, overwatering causes the leaves to turn yellow. It is important that before watering the plant, you must check the soil if it has lost its moisture.

Lighting Requirements

Gloriosum thrives in bright, indirect light. Although, it is essential not to place it in an area where it could receive total exposure. The direct sunlight causes the Gloriosum philodendron to scorch.

Direct sun can affect the plant’s leaves, stems, and foliage. The plant only requires getting enough light for the terrestrial plant to survive. The plant only needs to get enough light

The ideal place for the plant would be the window. Although, not all the window parts in our home make the plant receive the sunlight exposure it requires.

If you decide to place the plant indoors, you may install a grow light. Although, it should be noted that it should be radiated indirectly.

Temperature & Humidity 

The Gloriosum plant is a tropical plant. This means, the required temperature for the Gloriosum plant, should be at a tropical temperature. The plant can best thrive in an area where the temperature is 75 to 85 °F. 

Make sure that the plant can tolerate a temperature within 15-22 degrees Celsius during the night. Like the rest of the tropical plants, the Gloriosum plants value the temperature so much. Exceeding cold or exceeding hot can affect the development of plants.

The humidity requirement of the plant should be on a slightly higher level or 60-80 percent. The plant, as mentioned earlier, can also survive for about 40-50 percent of humidity; however, it is essential to remember that these percentages are not the ideal levels.

High humidity also encourages new and healthy Gloriosum leaves.

When the humidity level has been at 40 percent and below, you may use a humidifier to keep the humidity high. Low humidity levels will not tolerate the plant from achieving its full potential.

Fertilizer Needs

The fertilizer requirement of the plant, as mentioned earlier, is liquid fertilizer. The fertilizer is said to give more giant leaves and taller growth for the plant.

Spring and summer, it is the preferable season to provide fertilizer for the plant. On the other hand, avoid or reduce providing fertilizer to the plant every winter and autumn. During the winter and autumn seasons, it is more essential to check the soil than to fertilize it.

Propagation

Although, stem cutting is the preferred way to propagate the plant, through seed is also a sure way to do it but it takes time.

Here are the steps on how to propagate the Goriosum through stem cutting:

• Find a good part of the rhizome between two leaves on the rhizome where it could be cut successfully.
• It is best to retain 3 leaves in the mother plant.
• The newly cut rhizome should have or should not have any leaf at all. Although, the presence of a leaf can indicate that the stem is alive.
• Using a sterilized pruning sheet, cut the rhizome for an even and clear cut.
• Allow for a couple of hours to harden or thicken the cut rhizome.
• Put some pinch of cinnamon on the leaf stems. The cinnamon acts as a disinfectant that can help the healing process of the cutting.
• Use any available pot or temporary container and put some moisture (do not put too much water).
• In a gentle manner, put the cuttings onto the peat moss.
• Place the pot with the cutting either into a plastic container or a plastic pot.
• Every couple of days, you may open the bag for a moment to let the air go out.
• For effective plant care on the cut stems, increase the humidity level.
• Once the cuttings have good roots and there are at least 2-3 leaves on the stem, you may place them into the suitable pot.

Potting

The pot required for the plant should be rectangular in shape and has suitable drainage holes. The organic matter and the potting soil should be giving enough oxygenation to the roots. The right potting soil mixture gives a better thriving condition for the plant.

The recommended potting mix for the plant prevents root rot. The plastic bag is a good temporary potting when the newly rooted stem cutting is yet to develop. Another technique to pot the plant is orchid potting.

However, when stems started to grow an inch, these should be permanently planted on well-draining soil.

Growth Zone

The plant, as mentioned earlier, grows at a slower pace. It usually takes a month or so for the plant to have its new leaf. The growth of the plant is slow and it would a month to have its leaf spike.

The plant is said to grow up to 3 feet or 90 cm. This slow-grower plant can also do well along with the soil

Philodendron Gloriosum Varieties and Similar Plants

There are other varieties of philodendrons aside from the Birkin plant. These philodendron plants are classified into two: vine and non-vine types. Here are examples of philodendron varieties:

Philodendron Hederaceum

This plant is known for having heart-shaped leaves. Thus, gaining the nickname “sweetheart.” This philodendron variety is easy to care for. 

Philodendron Brasil

Another philodendron variety with green and white or even cream colors foliage. The plant also has heart-shaped leaves.

Philodendron Xanadu

Another philodendron variety has eye-appealing foliage. This variety can grow blooming and big whenever it was carefully grown.

Philodendron Moonlight

The philodendron variety with a bold, gorgeous green color and was also considered a hybrid variety. This philodendron variety can be suitable as an outdoor plant rather than placing it indoors.

Philodendron White Knight

This philodendron variety has variegated leaves with a mixture of colors spotless white and brilliant green. This exceptional plant is stunning and ideally the best plant to be placed in every walkway.

Philodendron Gloriosum Diseases & Pests

Yellow Leaves

When leaves turned to yellow, it indicates that the leaves have been scorched up because it was fully exposed to the sun. Another reason for this was overwatering. Overwatering it, in the long run, will increase the yellowish foliage.

Root Rot

Root rotting has been caused by overwatering the plant, and the roots have been too wet. Another indication that the roots are rotting is that the leaves may appear to be yellow. Giving the right care to Philodendron Gloriosum prevents the said plant from getting a root rot problem.

Pests

These pests are known to cause an infestation of the plant. They can also harm and stunt its growth by sipping all the plant’s nutrients and leaving unwanted marks on the leaves. Plants that suffer from pest infestation took a few days or even months to fully heal.

These pests, if left tolerated, these pests will kill the plant slowly. 

These are the following pests that will harm, wilt, droop, or kill the plant:

• Spider Mites
• Aphids
• Mealybugs
• Scale
• Fungus Gnats
• Whitefly

These pests can be gotten rid of using neem oil. Neem oil is an effective and natural way to get these insects away from the infested plant. Neem tree oil is known to be a natural repellant and a poison to any insect. 

Another way to get rid of these insects is to use rubbing alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is the best way to either get the pests away or kill them as they sip through the plant’s nutrients.