Houseplant · Araceae
Glorious Philodendron
Philodendron gloriosum
Give it warmth, humidity, and bright indirect light, and this velvet-leaf crawler unfurls one heart-shaped leaf after another.
Bright indirect
65–85°F · 18–29°C
USDA 10–12
Overview
Philodendron gloriosum earns its name with broad, heart-shaped leaves of deep green velvet, traced by pale silvery veins. Unlike the climbing philodendrons, this one is a crawler, sending its thick stem creeping sideways along the surface of the soil rather than up a pole. It comes from the rainforests of Colombia, and indoors it wants the same things it had there: warmth, steady moisture, and damp air.
It carries a reputation as a collector's plant, but it isn't fussy once you read it right. The single thing that matters most is drainage, since the fleshy roots rot fast in soggy mix. Get the soil and watering right and the rest is easy, with a new leaf pushing up every few weeks through the growing season.
Every part of this plant holds calcium oxalate crystals, which makes it an irritant to people and pets alike. It's a foliage plant to look at and grow, never to nibble. Keep it where curious cats, dogs, and small children can't reach the leaves.
Care
The short version: bright indirect light, a loose free-draining mix, and water only when the top of the soil dries. Keep it warm and humid, feed lightly through the growing season, and never let it sit in water.
Light
Give it bright indirect light, the kind near a window but out of the sun's direct path. It will get by in medium light or dappled shade, just slower. Keep it out of direct summer sun, which bleaches and scorches the velvety leaves.
Water
Water only once the top of the soil has dried, then water thoroughly and let the excess drain away. The fleshy roots rot quickly in a mix that stays wet, so err on the dry side and never leave the pot standing in a saucer of water.
Soil
Use a loose, free-draining aroid mix built from peat or coir with bark and perlite or sand. It likes things on the acidic side, around a pH of 5.0 to 6.0, and plenty of air around the roots.
Temperature
Keep it in the warm range it's used to, 65°F to 85°F (18°C to 29°C). It has no tolerance for cold, so keep it away from drafty doors and cold windowpanes in winter.
Humidity
This is a high-humidity plant from the rainforest floor, and it shows its best growth in damp air. It will cope with normal room humidity, but a grouped cluster of plants or a pebble tray helps it along.
Feeding
Feed monthly through the growing season, from spring into early autumn, with a balanced houseplant fertilizer at a dilute rate. Ease off in winter when growth slows, and flush the soil now and then to clear any salt build-up.
Pruning
There's little to do here beyond tidying. Remove dead, damaged, or yellowing leaves as they appear, and if a stem grows straggly, cut just after a leaf node in spring. Wear gloves, since the sap can irritate skin.
Repotting
Repot every 2 to 3 years, or sooner once the roots pack the pot, and do it in spring. Because this plant crawls sideways, a wide, shallow container suits it far better than a deep one.
Troubleshooting
Most problems with this plant come back to water and light. Yellowing leaves, mushy roots, and scorched patches each tell you something is off. Match what you see below and adjust before it spreads.
Wilting plant with soft stems and sour-smelling soil
This is root rot, and it almost always traces back to soil that stays wet too long. Tip the plant out and check the roots; healthy ones are firm and pale, while rotten ones are brown and mushy. Cut away the dead roots, repot into a fresh free-draining mix, and water less from now on.
Fix:
- Remove from the soggy medium and cut away rotten roots
- Repot into fresh free-draining mix
- Reduce watering frequency and empty saucers
Older leaves near the base turning yellow
Yellowing that starts on the oldest, lowest leaves usually points to too much water or too little light. Check whether the mix is staying wet and whether the plant sits in a dim corner. Let the soil dry between waterings and move it somewhere with bright indirect light.
Fix:
- Allow the medium to dry appropriately between waterings
- Move to a brighter spot with bright indirect light
Bleached or scorched patches on the most exposed leaves
Pale, burnt patches mean the leaves are catching too much direct sun, especially through a hot summer window. The damage shows up on whichever leaves face the light. Move the plant back into bright indirect light and the new growth will come in clean.
Fix:
- Move out of direct sun into bright indirect light
Sticky residue, fine webbing, or tiny bugs on the foliage
Sticky honeydew, fine webs, or specks moving on the leaves point to sap-sucking pests such as mealybugs, spider mites, scale, or aphids. Check the leaf undersides and the joints where leaf meets stem, since that's where they gather. Wipe or wash them off, then treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and repeat until they're gone.
Fix:
- Wipe off or wash off pests
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil and repeat as needed
Brown, crispy tips and edges on the leaves
Browning that creeps in from the tips and edges is usually a sign of fertilizer salt build-up after heavy feeding. Watch for a white crust on the soil or pot rim. Stop feeding, flush the mix with plenty of plain water, and only feed again at a weak dilution.
Fix:
- Stop fertilizing and flush the medium thoroughly with water
- Resume feeding only at dilute rates during the growing season
Toxicity
This is a plant to admire, not to taste. Every part holds insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth and throat when chewed, and the sap can irritate bare skin. It's toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, and unsafe for people too, so keep it out of reach of pets and small children and wear gloves when you prune.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Moderate
Chewing any part brings on a burning mouth, heavy drooling, and a swollen tongue and lips. A cat will often paw at its face, go off its food, and may vomit or struggle to swallow.
Dogs Moderate
A dog that bites a leaf feels the sting right away, with pawing at the mouth, drooling, and swelling of the lips and tongue. Vomiting and trouble swallowing can follow.
Horses Moderate
The same crystals irritate a horse's mouth and throat, leaving it drooling, with painful swelling and difficulty swallowing. Horses don't vomit, so the trouble stays in the mouth and gut.
Rabbits Caution
The oxalate crystals irritate a rabbit's mouth and gut just as they do other animals, so keep the plant well out of reach. Treat any chewed leaf as a reason to call your vet.
Livestock Caution
Grazing animals that mouth the foliage can get the same burning irritation and drooling. It's an unlikely meal indoors, but worth fencing off if the plant ever goes outside.
Birds Caution
A curious bird that nibbles a leaf risks the same oral irritation and swelling. Keep pet birds away from the foliage entirely.
People Caution
No part of this plant is food. Chewing a leaf burns the mouth and lips, and the sap can leave skin red and itchy, so wear gloves when you prune and keep it away from small children.
Plant sap can cause skin irritation / contact dermatitis; wear gloves when cutting stems and wash hands afterward (genus-level)
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
How to propagate
This philodendron is easy to multiply, whether you split the creeping stem, root a cutting in water, or layer a stem before you cut it free.
DivisionModerate
Spring to summer, during active growth · Roots in a few weeks
This plant creeps along a thick surface stem, which makes division the natural way to multiply it. In spring or summer, while it's actively growing, cut the rhizome into pieces so each one keeps at least one node. Pot the sections up and they put out roots within a few weeks.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Spring to late summer · Roots in about 2 weeks in water
Stem cuttings are the easy route. Any time from spring to late summer, take a piece about 4 inches (10 cm) long and cut just below a leaf node. Stand it in a glass of water and it roots in about two weeks.
Air layeringModerate
Any season · Several weeks
Air layering works in any season and lets a stem root before you ever cut it free. Wound a node, wrap it in damp moss, and keep it moist until roots form over several weeks. Then sever the rooted section and pot it on.
Myths
Philodendrons are harmless houseplants that are safe around pets.
The ASPCA lists philodendron as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, and every part of the plant holds insoluble calcium oxalate crystals. Chewing a leaf brings on a burning, swollen mouth and drooling, so keep this plant out of reach of pets and children.
Philodendrons need bright, direct sunlight to thrive.
They do best in bright indirect light, not full sun. Direct sun, especially through a summer window, scorches the velvety leaves and leaves pale burnt patches behind.