Philodendron Pastazanum Care - Teak And Terracotta

Philodendron pastazanum care is all about watering it sparingly…

Philodendron Pastazanum Care Summary

Light needs:	Medium to bright indirect sunlight.
Watering needs:	Check weekly, water if top 50% of soil is dry.
Fertilizer:	A high-in-nitrogen feed once a month in spring and summer months.
Soil:	A well draining soil with perlite.
Humidity:	60-70%.
Temperature:	15-35°C (59-95°F).
Where to buy:	Try one of these Rare Plant Shops.
Common issues:	Pests, and root rot from overwatering.

Introduction

The philodendron pastazanum, known as a ‘pasta’ in plant circles, is a crawling philodendron (similar in growth to the gloriosum) but with glossy, all green ribbed leaves, similar to the plowmanii. It is originally from Ecuador.

Light Needs

Medium to bright indirect sunlight is essential to get the best growth out of those leaves.

How Often to Water

Check the soil every week and water it if the top 50% is dry.

Fertilizer

You can use a balanced fertilizer or, a high in nitrogen feed, once a month in the spring and summer.

Soil

A well draining soil is essential to avoid root rot. Standard potting composts may be too heavy, so add some perlite to help with drainage.

When To Repot

Check it in spring to see if it is starting to fill out it’s current pot and then repot it if needed to give it space for the coming year.

Humidity

60-70% humidity is ideal, this is one plant where a humidifier will really help. If you don’t have one, then mist it daily.

Temperature

15-35°C (59-95°F) is the ideal temperature range.

How To Propagate Philodendron Pastazanum

It is really easy to propagate a philodendron pastazanum, you need to take a cutting from the bottom stem that crawls horizontally. Make sure you cut a node with a stem and leaf attached. You can then pot it up in a cup of moist sphagnum moss and keep it in a humid spot with indirect sunlight to encourage it to root.

Philodendron Pastazanum Silver

The philodendron pastazanum silver is sold as a more silver version of the pastazanum. It is not an officially recognized plant, and there have been instances of a sodiroi aff hybrid sold as a pastazanum silver. They are great plants, but just be aware that different plants and hybrids are sold under this name.

Philodendron Mcdowell Vs Pastazanum

The philodendron mcdowell has pink hues to the underside of the leaves, the pastazanum has green. The same for the cataphyll (the casing where the new shoots emerge) – they are pink on the Mcdowell and green on the pasta.

Philodendron Pastazanum Vs Gloriosum

The easiest way to tell the difference is the deep wrinkles along the veins on the pastazanum that give the leave a wrinkled look. The gloriosum has much flatter leaves.

Where To Buy

Try one of these Rare Plant Shops.

FAQs and Common Problems

Be careful of mealy bugs and aphids – check the leaves and their undersides every time you water. Root rot is common problem too, make sure you don’t water it until the soil is mostly dry and that the soil is well draining as the roots can easily rot if left to sit in heavy wet soil.