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Pink princess philodendron is a truly glorious plant. But, as you might suspect by looking at this beauty, it’s got its quirks.
Not to worry, by the end of this post you’ll be an expert on pink princess philodendron care and propagation!
The origin of the pink princess philodendron is not 100% confirmed, but it is believed to be a hybrid developed by a Florida grower in the 1970s. As far I as know from my research, there is no patent information available.
Why is philodendron pink princess so expensive?
The pink princess is expensive.
This is because growers cannot totally guarantee their philodendrons will turn out pink enough to actually sell as a pink princess philodendron, even if the mother plant is already heavily variegated with pink.
Unfortunately, many of them end up being disposed of.
If you’ve decided you want to own one of these beauties, you can easily find a pink princess philodendron on Etsy!
Check out this gorgeous pink princess from one of my favorite Etsy sellers.
Wherever you purchase one, make sure you are purchasing from a reputable seller.
Pink Congo philodendron – beware
Beware of imitation plants. The pink Congo philodendron has solid pink leaves that will eventually revert back to all green.
The pink princess philodendron generally has a good balance of pink and green variegation, not lots of solid pink leaves.
How do you keep pink princess philodendron pink?
I know we all want our princesses to be as pink as possible, but actually, the pink parts have no chlorophyll. If you end up with a leaf that is majority pink, it will eventually die. So, it is important to have pink AND green variegation.
Make sure to give your plant plenty of bright, indirect light to help it maintain its variegation. We’ll talk more about light further down.
If your plant is losing variegation—and this goes for the leaves becoming too green OR too pink—prune your plant back to just above a well-variegated leaf (meaning, keep the leaf on the plant, don’t cut it off).
This should give your plant a good chance of pushing out new growth that is also variegated (although there is no way to know for sure until the leaf grows).
We’ll talk more about pruning further down in this post.
How do you grow a pink princess philodendron?
The basic care requirements are:
- Bright, indirect light
- Watering when the top inch or so of the potting mix is dry
- A well-draining potting mix
Read on for a full care guide!
Light
Bright, indirect is best for the pink princess philodendron. As mentioned earlier, this will help it maintain its variegation. Do not put it in direct light, or its beautiful leaves may scorch.
If you don’t have enough natural light for your princess, grow lights can help.
These are my favorite grow lights—my plants have been thriving under them for years!
You can also see my guide to natural light for indoor plants for help finding the perfect spot for your plant.
Watering
Water your plant when the top inch or so of the potting mix is dry. Don’t let it dry out, but try not to overwater it. Consistent overwatering can put your plant at risk of root rot.
Always feel the potting mix first to determine whether or not your plant actually needs water.
Humidity
While this plant will generally be OK in normal houseplant humidity levels, it thrives in higher humidity. The easiest way to provide this is to use a humidifier. I really like this humidifier because it can last up to 96 hours—less refilling for me to worry about!
You can also check out my post for more easy ways to create humidity for houseplants.
Temperature
It prefers warmer temperatures, but will most likely be fine in your normal household temperatures.
Just try not to let it get below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (around 16 degrees Celcius). Remove it from any drafty areas or cold windowsills in the winter.
Potting Mix
A well-draining indoor plant potting mix with a few handfuls of added perlite to enhance the drainage works just fine for pink princess philodendron.
Fertilizing
Use a liquid houseplant fertilizer once a month during the growing season (spring and summer).
We all want to see this beautiful plant grow to its full potential but resist the urge to fertilize often. Overfertilizing can really hurt or even kill your plant.
Repotting
Repot your pink princess philodendron every year to every two years, depending on if it’s still growing well in its pot.
If it’s rootbound—roots are coming out of the drainage holes or roots are heavily coiled around the outside of the soil (inside the pot)—then it’s definitely time to repot.
Water your plant the day before repotting it and also water it after you’re done repotting. Use a pot one size up that has good drainage. Try to repot in the spring and summer only, if you can help it.
I really love terra cotta pots because they dry out quicker putting your plant at less risk of root rot!
Add one of these pretty Pink Princesses to your plant collection! Buy one here!
Pruning
You can prune your plant to control the size and shape by using a pair of clean, sharp scissors to cut above a node (where leaves and roots grow out of the stem).
ABOVE a node means the node is not included on the part you cut off. This will also encourage the plant to push out new growth.
You can also prune your plant to help encourage new variegated leaves, as mentioned at the beginning of this post.
If your plant is losing variegation and becoming too pink or too green, prune your plant back to just above a well-variegated leaf (meaning, keep the leaf on the plant, don’t cut it off).
Although variegation is not 100% guaranteed, this should give your plant a good chance of pushing out new growth from that leaf node that is also variegated.
Last, you can prune off any dead leaves. Occasional dying leaves are a normal part of the plant’s process.
Climbing and Support
Pink princess philodendron uses its aerial roots to climb and will grow its strongest when it has some kind of support that allows it to climb. One of the easiest ways to provide this is to use a moss pole.
I use this moss pole—it’s stackable and so easy to add more onto when your plant outgrows it!
Common Problems
Plant problems can be caused by a number of things, so it’s important to do an overall evaluation of your plant care routine, but below are some common causes of a few pink princess philodendron problems.
Brown leaves
Common causes include too much direct sun or extremely dry air (low humidity).
Yellow leaves
Common causes include overwatering or too much direct sun.
Curling leaves
If the leaves are curled under, it’s commonly caused by overwatering or underwatering.
Pests
Pests are generally not a big problem for pink princess philodendron, but for general pest control and prevention, I really like Bonide Systemic House Plant Insect Control.
Always read the instructions on the label before use and use caution if you have kids or pets.
Pink princess philodendron propagation
Pink princess philodendron can be propagated using a few simple methods in water or potting mix.
Pink princess philodendron propagation in water
- Use a pair of clean, sharp scissors to take a cutting that has at least one leaf.
- You want to cut just below a node (where leaves and roots grow out of the stem). Cutting “below” a node means the node will be included on the part you cut off.
- Put the cutting in a jar of room-temperature water. Make sure the node, but no leaves, are under the surface.
- Place the jar in bright, indirect light. Refill or replace the water as needed.
- After a few weeks, once the roots are two to three inches long, you can plant your cutting into an appropriately sized pot with potting mix.
- Then, water it and care for the plant how you normally would!
Pink princess philodendron propagation in potting mix
Method One
This follows the same general process as water propagation.
- Use a pair of clean, sharp scissors to take a cutting that has at least one leaf. You want to cut just below a node (where leaves and roots grow out of the stem). Cutting below a node means the node will be included on the part you cut off.
- Plant the cutting into an appropriately sized pot with moistened potting mix, making sure the node, but no leaves, are buried.
- Put the pot in bright, indirect light. Keep the potting mix moist, but not too wet, as the roots develop.
- Put a clear plastic bag over the top of your cutting to lock in beneficial humidity. Open it every other day or so to let in some fresh air.
- After a few weeks you can give your cutting a very gentle tug to check on the progress. If you feel some resistance, then a root system has developed and you can start treating your cutting like a normal plant!
Method Two
You can also propagate a piece of the stem with no leaves and just a node. It is a little more difficult and will take longer without a leaf, but still doable!
- Cut a node away from the rest of the stem at each side.
- Put the node into an appropriately sized pot with moistened potting mix. You don’t have to worry about “planting” it—just lay it down flat into the mix and nestle it in.
- Put the pot in bright, indirect light. Keep the potting mix moist, but not too wet, as the roots develop from the node.
- Put a clear plastic bag over the top of the pot to lock in beneficial humidity. Open it every other day or so to let in some fresh air.
- Once you see little leaves growing on your node, you can transfer it to a more permanent pot. (You’ll have to do this if you’ve propagated many nodes in the same pot in order to give the new plants some space.)
- Then, start caring for the new little plants how you normally would!
Additional Information
How big do pink princess philodendrons get?
Pink princess philodendron generally grows to around two feet tall but can reach up to four feet tall in perfect conditions. The leaves can grow to around nine inches long and five inches wide.
Is pink princess philodendron toxic to pets?
Yes, pink princess philodendron is toxic, so be sure to keep this plant out of your furry friends’ reach!
Care Summary
- Bright, indirect light
- Water when the top inch or so of the potting mix is dry
- Higher humidity
- Warmer temperatures
- A well-draining potting mix
- Liquid fertilizer once a month during the growing season
- Repot every year to every other year
- Provide it with a moss pole to climb
Grab this beautiful, unique philodendron here!
More Philodendron Posts
- Philodendron Melanochrysum
- Philodendron Florida Ghost
- Philodendron Verrucosum
- Philodendron Gloriosum
- Philodendron Micans
- Heartleaf Philodendron
- Philodendron Brasil
- Philodendron Birkin
Brenda Rogers says
I’m get a pink princesse and I need to know how to take care of it.
Andrew says
I just got a cutting from the pink princess,and it’s in Spanish moss,should I let grow out of the six inch container let find the out holes at the bottom going out then repot. Into bigger pot?