Philodendron Hederaceum, otherwise known as the Heartleaf Philodendron, was my love at first sight. It comes in many varieties, it’s hard to choose which one is the prettiest! Check out my Philodendron Hederaceum care tips and how I manage to keep mine happy and thriving!
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Philodendron Hederaceum (or Philodendron Scandens) is commonly called the Heart-leaf Philodendron or Sweetheart plant. It’s got this name due to its beautiful heart shaped leaves. It looks gorgeous hanging down a shelf, in a macrame plant holder and anywhere you decide to place it. I just can’t get enough of this plant!
To see more heart shaped plants check out my post – Heart shaped leaf houseplants | perfect gift for your loved ones.
How often do you need to water your Philodendron Hederaceum? | watering
The key to a happy Philodendron Hederaceum is letting the soil dry out between watering.
Always check the soil with your finger to see if it’s dry or still moist. When the soil is dry all the way down your finger reach – it’s time to water it!
The Philodendron won’t mind if you let it’s soil dry out. Right on the contrary, if you keep yours in constantly moist soil you can introduce a number of problems to your Philodendron. Starting with root rot.
Root rot is one of the most common ways in which we kill our plants.
Overwatering – cause and problems
We’re afraid they are not getting enough water so we over do it and, eventually, cause the roots to rot because of our overwatering.
By overwatering I mean – not letting the soil dry out between watering. It’s not overwatering if you water it with 2 bottles of water (in other words, watering with plenty of water) – because the excess water will drain through the drainage holes on the bottom of the pot.
Overwatering is when you keep constantly watering it, not letting the roots catch the oxygen it needs because the constantly moist soil prevents air flow.
Always plant your plants in a pot with holes on the bottom. Then you can easily place it in a decorative pot.
So when you establish the soil has dried out – it’s time to water your plant thoroughly by giving it plenty of water. You can bring it to the sink or shower, or pour the water in it’s decorative pot or saucer and wait for the plant to absorb the amount of water it needs.
I like to mix my “watering methods”. Sometimes I water them from the top with a watering can, sometime I pour the water in their decorative pots and wait for them to absorb the water through the drainage holes.
But when I know my plant has been without water for a bit longer then it probably should have been (although I never noticed any decay in the foliage because of it) – I bring it to the shower and I water it a few times.
When you water your plant make sure the water reached all parts of the root system.
What to do with excess water that remained in the decorative pot or saucer?
The whole point of having drainage holes on the bottom of the pot is so that the excess water can drain through and not remain in the pot. The plant can only absorb a certain amount of water. If the pot does not have drainage holes, water can remain in the soil for so long that your plant would eventually die.
Said that, when excess water comes out of the pot, I leave it there for about half hour up to an hour. In this period the plant will absorb the water it needs. Then, after about half hour I throw out the remaining water.
How much light does Heart-leaf Philodendron need? | lighting
When it comes to light, the Sweetheart plants it’s not fussy at all. It can be in a space that has anywhere from medium light all the way to bright light. The thing is – the more light it gets the faster and bushier it will grow.
Philodendron Hederaceum is a vining plant, and what can happen to this types of plants when they don’t get enough sunlight is that they can become leggy. Meaning, leaves grow further apart and they are smaller in size.
But if you have limited lighting or limited space, it’s good that it can grow even near a north facing window. If you place it in a room with a north orientation, bring it closer to the window so that it gets as much light as it can, because light from the north facing window is quite limited.
If you have it in a room with east, west of south orientation, you can place your Philodendron a couple of feet away from the window, as well.
The only bright light that can hurt its leaves is direct afternoon light coming from the south facing window. This kind of light is especially harsh during summer. You can protect your Philodendron (and other plants also) by covering the window with a light white curtain that will disperse the light and prevent the leaves from burning.
Whenever I get a plant for the first time, I always keep track of how it’s accommodating to my space. If I see it’s not happy, I switch it to another place. We all have different home conditions, so it’s always good to keep track of your plants and see if they’re happy with the current care you’re giving them. 🙂
Do you need to fertilize your Philodendron Hederaceum? | fertilizing
Like (almost) any other plant, you do need to fertilize your Heart-leaf Philodendron, too.
When it comes to fertilizing, I like to keep things simple with my indoor plants so I don’t get caught up in the Matrix of when I last fertilized, which plants I fertilized, etc.. so, I fertilize all my indoor houseplants (with exceptions – Cacti, Succulents, Orchids and Prayer plants have special treatments) once a month with a complete diluted fertilizer for green plants.
I fertilize it once a month during the growing season.
By growing season I mean somewhere from March/April to October/November.
Before you use the fertilizer, be sure to follow the instructions on the package. Not all fertilizers are used in the same way, or diluted in the same amount of water. More it’s not better when it comes to fertilizing. It’s better to under-fertilize rather then over-fertilize.
Does Philodendron Hederaceum like high humidity? | humidity
Philodendron Hederaceum, like all our tropic indoor plans, likes humidity. But it’s not delicate when humidity levels drop. If you like misting your plants (like me), you can mist your Philodendron Hederaceum, too.
Now that we’re entering winter some may have really low humidity levels due to heating devices.
If you notice your Philodendron is getting brown crispy tips, try increasing humidity levels. My apartment has quite low humidity levels, and I have diffusers going on for my Calathea plants, but my Philodendrons have never shown any sign of unhappiness.
I buy my diffusers from Aliexpress or Amazon because there’s a large variety of choices for affordable prices. I go with the simple ones where all you need to do is pour some water, a few drops of essential oil and click start.
Is Philodendron Hederaceum poisonous? | toxicity
Philodendron Hederaceum is toxic to cats and dogs (and humans for that matter), so it’s best to be kept out of reach from pets and children.
Philodendron Hederaceum Varieties
The Philodendron Hederaceum is probably one of my favorite houseplants. I can’t get enough of its beautiful leaves, especially the ones of the Philodendron Brasil!
There are a few common varieties of this plant:
- Philodendron Hederaceum – green
- Philodendron Hederaceum Micans
- Philodendron Hederaceum Brasil
- Philodendron Hederaceum Lemon Lime
Philodendron Hederaceum 
Philodendron Hederaceum Micans 
Philodendron Hederaceum Brasil
All varieties are so gorgeous!
The all green Philodendron is a classic, with its perfectly heart shaped leaves and dark green color. Philodendron Brasil has yellow variegation, making each leaf so unique. Philodendron Micans on the other hand has deep green velvety leaves with a reddish undertone, just beautiful. And how to skip on Philodendron Lemon Lime, that can brighten every corner with its beautiful fresh looking leaves.
I currently have a few of the classic green Philodendron and Brasil variety, but I still need to find the Philodendron Lemon Lime and Micans so my heart can be at piece. 😉