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There is only one word to truly describe the Philodendron Gloriosum: Showstopper. This plant’s slow-growing foliage is totally worth the wait. In this post, I’ll review Philodendron Gloriosum care and propagation and answer other common questions.
Growth and Size
In perfect growing conditions, these incredible leaves can grow to be 36 inches long. However, while this size is not likely to happen as a houseplant, but you can still expect large and spectacular foliage with proper care.
Philodendron Gloriosum’s growth rate is slow. it may take over a month for one leaf to open.
This plant crawls along the forest floor with leaf stems growing up out of the rhizome that grows horizontally on the ground. For this reason, the rhizome should not be buried underground but kept above ground. This plant is not a climber, rather, it is considered a creeper.
Where can I buy a Philodendron Gloriosum?
You can easily buy a Philodendron Gloriosum on Etsy. Check out this beautiful Philodendron Gloriosum from one of my favorite Etsy sellers!
How do you care for a Philodendron Gloriosum?
Light
Can philodendrons take full sun?
No. Philodendron Gloriosum needs bright, indirect light to thrive, and it should NOT be placed in direct light.
If you don’t have enough natural light, that’s OK! You can always use a grow light. Check out my current favorite grow light picks below:
And, be sure to monitor the plant under the grow lights for the first few days to see how it responds. You may need to adjust the distance to figure out what will make your plant happy.
Watering
Water your Philodendron Gloriosum when the top inch or so of the potting mix is dry. Don’t let it dry out but also be careful not to overwater it or you could put your plant at risk of root rot.
Philodendron Gloriosum Humidity
Philodendron Gloriosum is native to Colombia (a tropical area), and therefore thrives in humidity! The easiest way to provide your plant with more humidity is by simply using a humidifier.
I go over a few more easy methods with step-by-step instructions in my post on creating humidity for houseplants.
Potting Mix
An aerated and well-draining mix that also holds some moisture will work well for Philodendron Gloriosum. You can accomplish this by using an orchid mix with a little bit of perlite and peat mixed in.
Fertilizing
Using a fertilizer will help Philodendron Gloriosum’s beautiful foliage develop, but still, it doesn’t need to be heavily fertilized so don’t overdo it. Use a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer once a month during the growing season (spring and summer).
Repotting
You won’t need to repot your Philodendron Gloriosum often because it is a pretty slow grower—probably every couple of years. Repot when it becomes rootbound or when you see the plant leaning over the edge of the pot. Once this happens, it means it’s trying to crawl but can’t anymore because it ran out of space!
(Note: You can check for rootbound-ness if you see roots coming out of the drainage hole or by slipping the plant out of its pot and checking to see if the roots are all in a heavy coil around the outside of the soil.)
When repotting, consider a long, rectangular pot because of this plant’s crawling nature. However, many people grow them in round pots just fine. When repotting, choose one the next size up from its current pot that has good drainage, and try to only repot in the spring or summer.
Pruning
This plant doesn’t require pruning except to remove any dying leaves. If you’re not able to gently pull them off in order to remove them, make sure to use a clean, sharp pair of scissors and cut at the base of the leaf.
Personally, I wouldn’t do any voluntary pruning since the plant grows slowly, but if you want to control the size and shape, you certainly can! Do not prune too much at once or it can hurt the plant.
Flowering
A mature Philodendron Gloriosum will occasionally flower with a white spathe-and-spadix flower.
Problems and Pests
A few problems you might encounter with your Philodendron Gloriosum include:
- Pests – Particularly, spider mites, aphids, mealybugs, and fungus gnats.
- Try using a miticide, which is helpful for spider mites. For general pest help, I really like Bonide Systemic Insect Control. Always read the instructions on the label first and use caution if you have kids or pets. See my posts on mealybugs and fungus gnats for more help with those specific pests.
- Leggy, stretched-out stems – Usually, legginess is due to a lack of sufficient light. The plant is trying to reach out to grow toward more light. Try increasing your light, but still keep it at an appropriate level for this plant (bright, indirect).
- Yellow leaves – The most common causes are too much water or too much direct sun.
- Crispy leaves – The most common cause is too much direct light.
- Drooping leaves – The most common causes are too much water or too little water.
In any of these cases, if there has been consistent overwatering, you’ll need to be careful about root rot.
Philodendron Gloriosum Propagation
Identifying the rhizome
Before we get started on Philodendron Gloriosum propagation, if you skipped down to this section it’s important that you know where the rhizome is on this plant. The rhizome is the main “stem” of the plant that you see growing horizontally along the ground, or in your case, along the soil in your pot.
Propagation
Use a pair of clean, sharp scissors. Identify a piece of the rhizome between two leaves, and make a cut. Be sure to leave a few leaves on the mother plant.
You can also cut off a node (where leaves and roots grow from) that does not yet have a leaf on it, but it is by far easier and faster to have a piece with a leaf or leaves already growing on it.
It’s good to allow the cutting to dry out and heal for a few hours, forming a callus before planting it, but you don’t have to.
Once your cutting is ready, put it into a container with moistened sphagnum moss. Place the container in bright, indirect light. Be sure to keep the moss moist as the roots develop.
You can also put a clear plastic bag over the top of your cutting to lock in beneficial humidity. If your cutting is too big for that, you can use another method, like a humidifier. If you’re using a bag, open it every other day or so to let in fresh air.
After a few weeks, give your cutting a gentle tug and feel for resistance. If there is resistance, the roots have developed. Repot it into a more permanent container with potting mix and care for the plant how you normally would (scroll up to my potting mix and repotting sections for specific instructions in those areas).
Additional Information
Is Philodendron Gloriosum toxic to pets?
Yes, Philodendron Gloriosum is toxic to pets so be sure to keep this plant out of your furry friends’ reach.
Philodendron Gloriosum vs. Glorious
Philodendron Glorious is a hybrid between Philodendron Gloriosum and Philodendron Melanochrysum.
Glorious has more long and narrow leaves. It is more of a climber, or at least it can climb and crawl, whereas the Gloriosum doesn’t climb and only crawls.
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