Philodendron Florida green is such a unique plant. Have you ever stopped and just look at its leaves? They are simply gorgeous. Besides that, it’s a super easy care houseplant that brings a nice touch to every home.
There are a few varieties of Philodendron Florida actually. We have the completely green variety which is the most affordable one and whose care we will cover in this post.
Then we have Philodendron Florida ghost which has a unique feature of changing its leaf color. The leaves grow white and then they change into green as they mature.
Lastly, we have the Philodendron Florida beauty which is a plant with yellowish variegation and the most expensive one of all.
As the leaves of the Philodendron Florida mature, they change shape and form.
Philodendron Florida is actually a hybrid. It’s a cross between Philodendron squamiferum and Philodendron pedatum.
When I bought my first Philodendron Florida green, I initially wanted the “ghost” variety. But it sold out so quickly on the site where I wanted to purchase it. Then I saw they had the “green” variety and I “settled” for that one.
When it arrived I was simply blown away. I was so happy and literally so excited to have it.
One trait I noticed (the one why I wanted the “ghost” variety) is that its leaves also grow bright green and then they fade into a darker, more deep green. I realize that’s what Philodendrons and most aroids do actually, but I must say, there’s something special about how this specific plant shift its leaf color.
Easy to say, the Philodendron Florida green is one of my favorite plants.
Let’s see how to keep it happy.
Philodendron Florida green – lighting
Philodendrons in general are very versatile plants and can grow in a wide light range, from medium to bright indirect light.
What Philodendron Florida green loves the most is bright indirect light.
If you place it in front of an east or west facing window, or better yet, a south facing window (north if you are reading this from Australia 😉 ) this plant will simply thrive and will push out new growth by the minute. Besides that, each new leaf will be bigger than the previous one.
Just one thing to keep in mind if you place your Philodendron, or almost any plant for that matter, in front of a south facing window, is the sun intensity.
Sun rays coming through the south facing window can be harsh for our houseplants and can actually burn their leaves, especially during summer months.
That’s why it’s best to put on some sheer curtains or something similar, that will still allow light to pass through, but won’t damage the plants. Sheer white curtains actually turn direct sunlight into bright indirect light.
While I had my Philodendron Florida green in front of south facing balcony doors, protected by sheer curtains, it grew so rapidly and leaves started to get that classic shape we all love.
Actually when I bought it, its leaves were quite narrow and without any shape. So you don’t have to worry if your Philodendron Florida doesn’t yet have that classic shape. It will get there, it just has to grow.
Philodendron Florida green – watering
Philodendron Florida green doesn’t require much attention when it comes to watering.
Let the soil almost completely dry out before watering it.
The thing is, you’ll do less harm if you let it completely dry out rather than if you keep the soil constantly moist. Philodendrons don’t like that.
When the first couple of inches of soil has dried out, you can water your Philodendron Florida green.
When will this be, I can’t tell you for sure. Lots of factors play a role here and you can read more about them in – 7 factors that affect your houseplant watering frequency.
But after a while you’ll get a grip on it and you’ll intuitively know when the soil will approximately dry out.
When it’s time to water it, water it thoroughly.
Make sure water reached all parts of the soil and thus all parts of the root system.
After watering, throw out all excess water that remained in its cachepot (or wherever you did water it). It’s important not to let your plant sit in excess water for days and weeks.
Drainage holes on the bottom of the pot play a crucial role. It’s important to have them in order to water your plant correctly and to allow good air circulation and proper water drainage.
Every now and then you can shower your Philodendron. In this way you can easily clean its leaves too.
Keeping leaves of your plants clean is really important and a task that shouldn’t be overlooked.
It helps the plant absorb more light and it keeps eventual pests from spreading.
Philodendron Florida green – potting/repotting and soil mixture
Before repotting your Philodendron Florida green into a bigger pot, make sure it really needs a bigger pot. You’ll need to repot it and give it more space aka a bigger pot, only if it’s root bound.
That’s the case if you’re considering sizing up from its current pot. When it’s time to do so, choose just a slightly larger pot than the previous one – one size up (about an inch larger).
If you simply want to repot it because you’d like to switch to a terracotta pot for example, or you want to change the soil, then you don’t need to take a bigger pot.
Philodendron Florida green – Soil mix
Philodendrons like airy potting mixes that include materials that will absorb and retain water, but also materials that will enable better air flow and good drainage.
I talk more about this in – Why is good soil drainage so important for houseplants? | how to make a good potting mix.
Basically you mix 2/3 soil (coco coir or peat moss) and 1/3 perlite or something similar. You can add some Orchid bark in there also. Lastly add some organic form of fertilizer, like worm casting, and you are good to go.
Philodendron Florida green – fertilizing
Like most of my houseplants, I fertilize my Philodendron Florida green once a month during the growing season – from spring to autumn.
If you live somewhere where it growing season all year round, you can keep fertilizing your houseplants accordingly.
To fertilize it you can use a houseplant liquid fertilizer diluted in water. Be sure to follow the instructions on the bottle, because you don’t want to overfertilize your houseplant.
It’s always better to underfertilize rather than overfertilize.
Is Philodendron Florida green toxic to pets?
Philodendrons, like other members of the aroid family, are toxic to pets.
They contain insoluble calcium oxalates that, if eaten in larger quantities, can cause oral and stomach irritation, swelling of mouth, difficulty swallowing and vomiting.