Philodendron Burle Marx Care
Philodendron burle marx care is all about keeping it’s roots in a well draining medium and only watering it when the soil is mostly dry…
Philodendron Burle Marx Care Summary
| Light needs: | Bright indirect sunlight. |
| Watering needs: | Check weekly, water if top 50% of the soil is dry. |
| Fertilizer: | A balanced fertilizer once a month in spring and summer. |
| Soil: | A well draining potting mix with 20% perlite. |
| Humidity: | 50%. |
| Temperature: | 18-25ºC (64-77ºF). |
| Where to buy: | Try our list of Rare Plant Shops or Etsy. |
| Common issues: | Overwatering, mealy bugs. |
Introduction
The philodendron burle marx is a really decorative climbing philodendron, named after the Brazilian architect, Roberto Burle Marx, famous for his work with plants in architecture. I have been growing and propagating the philodendron Burle Marx variegata at home and for sale for a few years and it is a really popular plant due to it really impressive coloration.
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Light Needs
Bright indirect sunlight is ideal for this plant, just don’t let it get burnt by direct sunlight. The variegated one can revert if in low light conditions, and burn in direct sun, so aim for bright but indirect sunlight.
How Often to Water
Check your plant once a week but only water it if the top 50% of soil is dry. Check it with your finger. The most common cause of death in philodendrons is overwatering so just be careful, if in doubt leave it for a bit.
You should also make sure that the plant drains well and the pot is not allowed to sit in a saucer of water as the soil can suck it back up and become overwatered.
If you have a big plant and small plant it will need water more regularly than a smaller plant in a big pot, hot and cold temperatures will affect it too. But you will always be ok if you make sure the top half of soil is dry before watering.
See also: Philodendron Burle Marx Water Propagation.
Fertilizer
You can feed this plant a balanced fertilizer once a month in the spring and summer months, it will help to promote growth. I have some variegated Burle Marx that I never fertilize and they do just fine. They would probably grow quicker if I did feed them.
Soil
A well draining soil is essential for philodendrons because if the roots sit in wet waterlogged soil they can get root rot very easily. So use a very well draining compost and if you are using a standard potting compost from the shop add about 20% perlite for a quick and easy well draining mix. Or you can mix orchid bark, perlite and soil in equal parts for something more chunky.
For more on Philodendron soil see our guide on what to buy or how to make your own: Philodendron Soil.
When To Repot
Repot once a year in spring to give the roots some space and refresh the nutrients in the soil.
Humidity
This philodendron will like 50% humidity which is at the higher end of normal households so if you have a dryer household think about putting a wet tray of pebbles underneath the philodendron to increase the local humidity level or give it a spray with water a few times a week.
Temperature
The ideal range is 18°C to 25°C (64-77°F). They will be fine in most homes. Try to avoid letting them get to 5°C (41°F) at night and avoid cold drafts in the winter.
Philodendron Burle Marx Propagation
I have propagated Burle Marxes many times for sale in my store. They are really easy quick to grow and the success rate is normally very high. The only tricky bit is sometimes the nodes can grow very close together and you want to be really careful with a sharp knife not to damage the nodes as the cutting will need to root from the node.
Like most philodendrons, the burle marx is easy to propagate with a stem cutting in leca or sphagnum moss. Just follow these steps:
Time needed: 2 hours.
- Take the cuttings
Take a stem cutting that has at least one node and two leaves.
- Let the wounds heal
Wait a couple of hours so that the cut wounds heeal over. This will reduce the chance of the propagation rotting.
- Add the cutting to sphagnum moss or leca
Bury the cutting in a cup of pre-soaked leca or sphagnum moss. Make sure the roots are covered and the medeium holds the cutting in place. Don’t pack it too tight as you want air to reach the roots.
- Keep it warm and well lit
Put it in a warm and bright spot (but no direct sun) and keep it moist and humid to encourage root.
- Keep it moist while it roots
The roots should start to develop over the next one or two months. Keep it well watered but not soakng. Keep it somewhere humid too.
- Repot it when it starts to grow
Once it starts to grow foliage from the top of the plant you can pot it up into a bigger plant pot.
You can also water propagate a burle marx easily, I do this with variegated burle marx cuttings a lot. I wrote some step by step guides for each different propagation methods, check them out here: Burle Marx Water Propagation, Burle Marx Propagation In Leca, Burle Marx Propagation In Sphagnum Moss, Propagating Burle Marx From Nodes / Wet Stick, Burle Marx Propagation In Soil, Burle Marx Variegata Reverting.
Philodendron Burle Marx Price
At time of writing they go for 25 euros for a small one and up to 80 for larger plants. In the USA they go for 40-80 USD. See Etsy (affiliate link) for their current price or to buy one.
Philodendron Burle Marx Size
They can grow to about 70 cms high (just over 2 feet).
For more on philodendrons see our philodendron category with all our philodendron care guides.
Philodendron Burle Marx Vs Billietiae
They are similar but the billietiae has much more elongated leaves. Also the billietiae has darker stems.
The sinus (the dip at the top of the leaf) are much deeper and narrower on the billietiae.
Philodendron Imbe Vs Burle Marx
The Burle Marx Variegata is sometimes sold as an imbe. The imbe is not an officially recognized philodendron at time of writing. Source.
Philodendron Burle Marx USDA Zone
They can grow outdoors year-round in zones 9b-11.
Philodendron Burle Marx Variegated
The philodendron burle marx variegated is a beautifully variegated version of the burle marx with big yellow patches to its variegation aswell as mottling in other areas on the leaf. It is highly in demand and absolutely stunning. It needs the same care instructions as the standard version of the plant but you just have to be a bit careful that the plant’s light needs are met properly. If you if you give it too little light the variegation might fade but if you give it too much the variegation might burn so you just have to pay a bit more special attention to the sunlight it receives – plenty of indirect is good, but no direct sun.
Philodendron Burle Marx Fantasy
The Burle Marx Fantasy is a small climbing philodendron with really pointed water droplet shaped leaves. The philodendron burle marx fantasy is very different from the normal Burle Marx, they do not have a great deal in common but both are named after the architect Burle Marx.
Where To Buy
Try one of these Rare Plant Shops. Or Etsy.
Other Names
Philodendron burle-marxii
Philodendron Burle Marx Variegated Reverting
If your variegated plant starts to revert and lose its variegation, the best thing to do is to give it more sunlight to encourage the variegation. You can cut off the newer, less variegated leaves too. See our more in depth guide for more info: Burle Marx Variegata Reverting.
Philodendron Burle Marx Care FAQs and Common Problems
Keep an eye out for common pests on the leaves like mealybugs and especially thrips at watering. Even if you can’t see bugs, but you see damage to the leaves, then treat the plants. Also be very careful of root rot, as with all philodendrons they must not sit in waterlogged soil make sure they’re in a well draining potting medium and that you dump out excess water after watering. If in doubt, do not overwater them.
They droop from over and underwatering, so make sure you are checking them weely but only watering if the soil is mostly dry. If you have over watered it you can take it out of the soil and let it dry out at the roots for a day or so then put it back into dry soil.
Yes they can grow in water alone. Take a cutting and root it in soil. Then keep the water topped up and you can keep it living in water ongoing. For more on this see our guide: Burle Marx Water Propagation.
The Burle Marx is a climbing philodendron.
They are toxic to cats if eaten, and can cause vomiting and numbness. So seek vets advice immediately if your pet eats any.
Philodendron Burle Marx leaves turn yellow due to hot or cold damage. They can burn too from the sun and even too much fertilizer.
Philodendron Burle Marx leaves reach 10-15cm (4-6 inches) on indoor plants. The leaves can grow to 40 cm (16 inches) in length in big mature outdoor plants in a perfect habitat.
They grow relatively fast for a houseplant if given the correct care.
They are really easy to care for, just don’t over water them. If you have a variegated one you also need to make sure it doesn’t get too much or too little sun.
They grow really well indoors, as long as they get decent indirect light and a little humidity.
Yes they grow well in leca when starting them as a cutting in leca. Transitioning them from soil is possible too, but the success rate is lower, it is better to start with a cutting. We wrote a full guide on this here: Philodendron Burle Marx Propagation In Leca.
Other Articles You Might Like
You might also like our other articles: Philodendron Pedatum, Philodendron Sodiroi, Philodendron Billietiae and our general guide: How To Propagate Philodendron.
You can find our other PBM articles here: Burle Marx Water Propagation, Burle Marx Propagation In Leca, Burle Marx Propagation In Sphagnum Moss, Propagating Burle Marx From Nodes / Wet Stick, Burle Marx Propagation In Soil, Burle Marx Variegata Reverting.
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