Philodendron White Knight - Plant Care Guide

So you’ve got the beautifully white variegated Philodendron White Knight and need some care tips!? Look no further, here’s our no-nonsense guide…

Philodendron White Knight Summary

Light needs:	Bright indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Water when the top inch or 2cm is dry.
Fertilizer:	A balanced liquid feed once a month in spring and summer.
Soil:	Rich, well draining potting compost.
Humidity:	50%.
Temperature:	18°C to 27°C (64-81°F).
Where to buy:	Try our list of Rare Plant Shops or Etsy.
Common issues:	Leaf burn. Over watering.

Buy this plant on Etsy

Introduction

So you want really stunning white and green variegated plant that is fairly easy to look after? Look no further than Philodendron White Knight. We’ll go into more info on how to care for this favorite white variegated philodendron…

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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Light Needs

A philodendron white knight needs bright indirect sunlight ideally. Because of the variegation they need a little more light than normal, as the white areas of the leaves produce less energy than green. However the white areas also burn more easily, so you should make sure they do not get direct sunlight especially at midday.

Tip: keep them out the way of direct sun which can burn the white areas easily.

How Often to Water A Philodendron White Knight

Water you philodendron white knight when the top inch or 2cms is dry, check it once a week with your finger.

Fertilizer

Use a balanced liquid feed once a month in the spring and summer months to encourage growth.

Philodendron White Knight Soil

Use a rich but well draining potting compost. You can add perlite to help drainage. A good mix is one of equal parts orchid bark, perlite and normal potting compost.

For more on Philodendron soil see our guide on what to buy or how to make your own: P h ilodendron Soil.

When To Repot

Repot when it becomes root bound and you can see roots growing from the bottom. The best time to repot is in spring but you can do it through the year too.

Humidity

Philodendrons like 50% humidity which is the higher end of household humidity (most households are 30-50%). Give them a misting two or thee times a week.

Temperature

18°C to 27°C (64-81°F) is an ideal temperature range for a philodendron white knight during the day. They should be kept above 10°C (50°F) as a minimum at night or in the winter.

How To Propagate A Philodendron White Knight

The best way to propagate a white knight is with sphagnum moss using a stem cutting.

Follow these steps:

Take the top section off the plant with a knife, making sure to take at least one node with the leaves too.
Put the cutting in a clear jar or cup filled with wet sphagnum moss.
Then put it in a warm place that has plenty of indirect sunlight to encourage it to grow roots.
Spray the moss with water every few days to keep it wet.
Leave it until it grows roots well enough to pot it on into soil, this can take from one to two months.
Pot it up to well draining soil and let it get established in it’s new pot.

You can also use soil or water propagation with philodendrons, which evolves taking a leaf and node stem cutting like above, but instead putting it in water to root, or in soil. I personally prefer sphagnum moss as it give the roots moisture but also air and seems to produce stronger roots when I have done it. I also get much less root rot when using moss.

For more on propagating philodendrons see our guide: How To Propagate Philodendron.

Philodendron White Knight Scientific Name

Philodendron Erubescens White Knight.

Philodendron White Knight Vs White Wizard

The white knight has burgundy stems and the white wizard has green stems.

Philodendron White Knight Vs Red Anderson

A red anderson is a hybrid of the white knihgt and a pink princess so they look veyr similar, the red ansderson’s leaves are browny red when they emerge.

Is It A Climbing Or A Crawling Philodendron?

It is a climbing philodendron.

Is It Toxic To Cats?

They are toxic to cats if eaten, and can cause vomiting and numbness. So seek vets advice immediately if your pet eats any.

Philodendron White Knight USDA Zone

They can grow outdoors year-round in zones 9b-11.

Where To Buy

Try one of these Rare Plant Shops. Or Etsy.

Philodendron White Knight FAQs and Common Problems

Leaf burn due to too much sun is a common issue for a Philodendron White Knight, especially on the variegated parts. If it gets burned, just move it back form direct sunlight. Also yellowing of leaves and root rot from over watering can affect these plants, make sure you let the top layer of soil dry out before watering again.

For more on philodendrons see our philodendron category with all our philodendron care guides.

How To Tell The Difference Between Other White Variegated Philodendrons?

So there are a few other philodendrons with white variegations: Philodendron White Knight, Philodendron White Wizard, Philodendron White Princess. The easiest way to tell the difference is by looking at the stem. On the white wizard, the stems are green and on the white princess it has some pink in the stem, while the white knight has a dark red, burgundy colored stem.

Why Has My Philodendron Lost It’s Variegation?

Philodendrons do lose their variegation sometimes. The most common reason is lack of light.

Is Philodendron White Knight Variegation Stable?

The variegation is relatively stable, as the plants for sale have been bred for a few generations. So if you have a plant it will very likely keep it’s variegation, although they can revert sometimes mainly due to a lack of light, see the next section on how to deal with this…

What To Do If My Plant Loses It’s Variegation?

The best thing to do if you have a philodendron white knight that has reverted and lost it’s variegation is to cut back the new non-variegated leaves. Cut them back so that the top growth is the last variegated leaf. Then move the plant to an area of more (but indirect) light, or use a grow light. This should encourage a plant to put out more variegated leaves. Plants can permanently revert, but using this method you should be able to salvage it.