Philodendron Domesticum - Teak And Terracotta

Welcome to our guide to philodendron domesticum care and propagation.

The key to philodendron domesticum care is to give it a humid environment and not let it sit in soggy soil…

Philodendron Domesticum Summary

Light needs:	Medium indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Water when top 50% of soil is dry, check once a week.
Fertilizer:	A balanced feed once a month in summer.
Soil:	Well draining potting medium with 20% added perlite.
Humidity:	40-60%.
Temperature:	18°C to 25°C (64-77°F).
Where to buy:	Try our list of Rare Plant Shops or Etsy.
Common issues:	Overwatering.

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Introduction

The philodendron domesticum aka the spadeleaf philodendron is an easy to grow houseplant. They are known for their elongated heart-shaped leaves on thin stalks. There is also a much rarer in-demand variegated version (pictured in the is article).

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Philodendron Domesticum Light Needs

They do great in medium indirect sunlight, and will thrive a bit back from the window. You can up the light too for faster growth, but definitely no direct sunlight as it can burn the leaves.

How Often to Water

Water when the top 50% or more of soil is dry, check it once a week.

Tip: underwater this plant rather than overwater it, they must not sit in soggy soil as they get root rot easily. Check the soil and only water if mostly dry, and make sure you don’t leave the pot standing in any excess water.

Fertilizer

You don’t absolutely need to feed it, but if you do you’ll get quicker growth. A balanced feed once a month in the summer will be great for it.

Philodendron Domesticum Soil

A quick and easy well draining potting medium can be made by adding with 20% perlite to a normal potting compost is ideal for a philodendron domesticum. Or you can mix orchid bark, perlite and potting compost in equal parts for a really well draining and chunky mix that they’ll thrive in. . For more on Philodendron soil see our guide on what to buy or how to make your own: P h ilodendron Soil.

Tip: check the plants roots at Easter time and move the plant to a bigger pot if they are getting crowded. You want to make sure the plant has space to grow as the warmer growing season arrives.

When To Repot

Repot once they become root bound, or if you like you refresh the soil once a year in spring.

Philodendron Domesticum Humidity

40-60% humidity is ideal. I try to keep all my philodendrons in the range 50%-60% during the day, they will drop off at night sometimes, it really help the leaves the to stay lush looking and unfurl.

Temperature

Aim for 18°C to 25°C (64-77°F) during the day, they’ll be fine in almost all homes or offices. In the winter or at night try to keep them above 12°C (54°F) as a minimum temperature.

How To Propagate Philodendron Domesticum

Take a stem cutting with one node and one leaf and let the wounds hela over for few hours. Then put the cutting in filtred waer or sphagnum moss to root. Keep it bright and humid until it roots well and then starts to out leaf growth, at which point you can pot it up into a good philodendron soil. It can take about 2 or 3 month until you move it to soil, if you use a clear cup you can monitor root growth by just looking at it.

Is It Toxic To Cats?

They can be mild to moderately toxic to cats if eaten, and can cause vomiting and oral irritation. Contact your vet if you think your pet has eaten any.

Is It A Climber Or Crawler?

Philodendron Domesticum is climbing philodendron

Philodendron Jose Buono Vs Domesticum

You can tell these plants apart as the Jose Buono is variegated and has longer leaves.

Philodendron Domesticum Variegata

There is a really nice variegated version of the domesticum with similar variegated patterns to a variegated burle marx. They requite the same care as the normal domesticum, but just need a little more attention paid to the light levels – too much light and the variegation might burn, but too little and the variegation may fade.

Philodendron Domesticum Lemon Lime

There is a bright, almost neon yellow variety of the domesticum called the domesticum lemon lime, it’s a really stand out beautiful plant. Again it has the same care needs as the normal domesticum, just be careful of the light levels, it will want a lot to keep it’s bright color, but not too much that it will burn the leaves. For more on lemon and lime philodendrons see our guide: Philodendron Lemon Lime.

philodendron domesticum price

The variegated version currently sells for 60 euros for a small one up to and over 150 euros for a big one depending on size. The non variegated one can be picked up for 20 euros or less.

philodendron domesticum USDA Zone

Zones 9-11

Where To Buy

Try our list of Rare Plant Shops. Or Etsy.

Other Names

Spadeleaf philodendron.

FAQs and Common Problems

Make sure you don’t overwater your philodendron domesticum, they hate to sit in wet soil and the biggest cause of plants dying is root rot, so make sure it is in a well draining pot and medium and you let the soil dry out a lot before watering again.

If you have the variegated version you need to be more careful with over and under watering as well as light requirements. The variegated parts of the leaves can go brown more quickly if under or over watered, and they can burn if given direct sun, and the variegation can fade if not given enough light. So be a bit for vigilant with the variegated one, especially when summer starts or ends and you get a big change in how much water the plant needs and how much light it gets.

Additional Resources

Links:

More info on the Wikipedia page.
More info on the RHS plant page.