Philodendron Mamei
Philodendron,  Plant Care

Philodendron Mamei Care

The philodendron mamei is an impressive philodendron that is easy to care for, read on for all you need to know about care and propagation.

Philodendron Mamei Care Summary

Light needs:Bright indirect sunlight, no direct.
Watering needs:Check weekly, water if top half of soil is dry.
Fertilizer:A high-in-nitrogen feed once a month in spring and summer.
Soil:80% potting compost, 20% perlite.
Humidity:60%.
Temperature:13ºC – 27ºC (55°F – 80°F).
Where to buy:Try one of these Rare Plant Shops.
Common issues:Leaf drop, yellowing or drooping due to overwatering.

Introduction

The philodendron mamei is a philodendron similar to a sodiroi with big ribbed heart shaped leaves, they grow wild in Ecuador and are a much loved houseplant the world over. I’m a big fan of this plant, here’s a simple but thorough guide to this stunner…

See also: Philodendron Splendid, Philodendron Florida Ghost, Philodendron White Knight, Philodendron Thai Sunrise Care, Philodendron Mayoi, Philodendron Pastazanum Care, Philodendron Plowmanii Care, Philodendron Ring Of Fire Care, Philodendron Red Emerald, Philodendron White Wizard.

Tip: we recommend Etsy for buying plants. Look for the best rated seller you can, and try to buy as close to your home as possible so the plant does not travel too far.

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Philodendron Mamei Light Needs

They do best in bright but indirect sunlight, but no direct sun which can burn the leaves. They’ll be ok in medium indirect sunlight too, a bit further back from the window.

How Often to Water

Check your plants once a week but only water them if the top half of the soil is dry. They can get root rot easily so make sure you don’t let them sit in soggy soil.

The key to caring for this plant is to avoid letting it sit in wet soil, so make sure you have a well draining medium, and you only water it when it is mostly dry, as well as tip out any excess water after watering so it doesn’t get a soggy bottom.

Fertilizer

Use a high in nitrogen feed once a month in the spring and summer months to encourage leaf growth.

Soil

Add some perlite to regular potting compost to aid drainage. about 20% of the mix should be perlite. This will stop the soil holding on to moisture as much and dramatically reduce the risk of root rot which is one of the biggest issues with a philodendron like this. For more on Philodendron soil see our guide on what to buy or how to make your own: Philodendron Soil.

When To Repot

Repot them once a year in spring to refresh the soil and give the roots more space. If the roots are crowded, give them a bigger pot size, or keep them in the same pot with new soil.

Tip: It is a crawling philodendron, but it likes to climb, so train it up a moss pole to give it structure and stop it sprawling. You can buy them on Amazon here (affiliate link).

Humidity

60% humidity is ideal. A bit less is ok, but these will flourish if given the high end of household humidity or even a bit more. They can crisp up if the air is too dry and really thrive if given high humidity.

Temperature

During the day they should be 18°C-27ºC (64-80°F) and try to keep them above 13ºC (55°F) at night. Don’t let them get too drafty or too cold at night in the winter.

How To Propagate Philodendron Mamei

Take a cutting with one leaf and one node, and root it in moist sphagnum moss. You can use other mediums like water, soil or leca, but I find moss is best for rooting. It keep the the node moist to encourage rooting, but also allows air to circulate, and there is much less chance of rot (which you can get with soil). Keep it warm, humid and in medium indirect sunlight. It should root in the next two months. You can then plant it up into leca or soil and treat it as a juvenile plant.

We covered each method in detail in our separate guide here covering mamei water propagation as well as leca, soil and sphagnum moss: Philodendron Mamei Propagation.

Is It Toxic To Cats?

They are moderately toxic to cat and dogs if eaten and can cause a variety of symptoms including vomiting. If you think your pet may have eaten any, contact your vet immediately and seek their advice.

Philodendron Mamei USDA Zone

Zones 9-11.

Where To Buy

Try one of these Rare Plant Shops. The Philodendron Mamei’s price has come down a lot and they are not expensive now, way under 50 euros or 50 dollars for a big one.

Philodendron Mamei close up of leaf
Philodendron Mamei close up of leaf

Other Names

Silver Cloud. Philodendron Mame (it should be ‘Mamei’).

Philodendron Mamei Care FAQs and Common Problems

You can get wilting or dropping of leaves as well as leaf yellowing, and even root rot, which are all due to over watering. If you get yellowing on a mamei then dry out the soil and water it less regularly. Do not over water a philodendron!

How To Get Bigger Leaves On A Mamei

The best way to encourage big leaves is to give the plant 60% humidity or so, and give it a moss pole to climb up.

Philodendron Mamei Vs Silver Cloud

The philodendron mamei and silver cloud, although very similar, can be told apart as the mamei has more green that silver and the silver cloud has more silver on it’s leaves, also the silver cloud has rounder leaves.
There is a lot of confusion here as there are p. mameis sold as silver clouds or ‘mamei silver clouds’, which are philodendron mameis. However there is a similar but a slightly different plant sold as a philodendron silver cloud. I think that it is a hybrid a of the mamei to be honest, but cannot confirm that, if you are a breeder of these, please get in touch. Either way they are both very similar and beautiful silver philodendrons that are easy to grow.

Philodendron Mamei Vs Sodiroi

You can tell the difference easily between a philodendron mamei and a sodiroi by looking at the petiole (the stalk that attaches the leaf to the main plant). It is green on the mamei and a reddy green on the sodiroi. The sodiroi has much more silver on it too, the leaf is majority silver covered, the mamei’s leaves are more green than silver.

Philodendron Pastazanum Silver Vs Mamei

The Pastazanum Silver are generally bigger leaved and slightly less silvery.

Philodendron Mamei Vs Plowmanii

The mamei and plowmanii are really similar. The best way to tell the difference is by looking at the petiole. The mamei has ruffled petioles. The leaves on both are heart shaped but the mamei is slightly rounder.

Philodendron Mamei Vs Mamei Aff

The mamei aff is a close hybrid of the mamei. Aff means ‘affinity to’. Some hybrids are different to others but in general it is very similar to the mamei but most are bread for more silver on the leaves.

Is Philodendron Mamei A Climbing Philodendron?

Technically the mamei is crawler like the gloriosum, they are crawling philodendrons, but it does so it a way that it can be staked to a pole, so it often appears as a climbing philodendron. I would describe it as ‘climbing crawler’ (I don’t know if that’s an official term, you heard it here first!).

One of my juvenile philodendron mameis
One of my juvenile philodendron mameis

Additional Resources

Links: Wikipedia, The Exotic Rainforest Page on Mamei.

Other philodendron articles: Philodendron Florida Ghost, Philodendron Splendid, Philodendron Glorious, Philodendron Gloriosum Care.

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