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In the world of plants , there are a lot of imposters .
Even worse , plant such as the ( fil - Buckeye State - DEN - dron ) are known for being morphogenetic , meaning they shift forms several times throughout their lifespan .
This is how Philodendron brandtianum became wrong synonymous with Philodendron variifolium , which looks nothing likewise and may not even be a species !
Philodendron varifolium has three - lob parting and is suspect by botanists to be Philodendron deltoideum .
Are you confused yet ? Most non - scientists are . The juvenile give ofmany varieties of Philodendronslook very different than the ripe leave-taking . This take true for other relatives like Monstera and Syngonium .
Philodendron brandtianum is aboriginal to a wide reach of South America , include Bolivia , Brazil , parts of Columbia , Ecuador , and Peru .
As is genuine with many members of the Araceae family unit , the works is well - accommodate to rainforest environments .
Besides being habitually mislabeled by sellers , it break down by the plebeian names of silver folio philodendron and philodendron Brandi ( for short ) .
Silver Leaf Philodendron Care
Size And Growth
While Brandi is known to grow to a massive 30′ to 40′ base long , you’re able to expect it to be a much belittled size when raise domestically .
It can be grown as the following :
Brandi is a debauched agriculturist , give a “ fledged ” elevation ( or duration ) of 4′ to 5′ feet in around 2 to 3 years .
When grown as a tree creeper , the top will only be around 6″ to 8″ inch , and the banquet will be 4″ to 7″ inches .
A mature leaf can sometimes develop to as long as 12″ inch in the right luck , which is still only a fraction of its size in nature .
Domestically spring up brandis are unlikely to reach full maturity , so many grower are unaware that the folio change .
puerile leaves are variegated with grey-haired to silver markings on light and dark gullible tone .
However , a mature folio lacks diversification , feels less leathery , and is semi - gloss , with the underside being a more or less light tint than the dark immature upper surface .
Flowering And Fragrance
As with other plants in this coinage , do n’t expect to see blooms ( or be impressed if it does ) .
Silver folio philodendrons only attain flowering maturity after climbing 32 ’ feet , climbing onto a branch , and becoming pendant ( hanging down ) for another 9 ’ foot or so , allot to Dr. Thomas B. Croat , who ’s moot to be the macrocosm ’s first government agency on aroids .
Still , the inflorescence is more attractive than most philodendrons .
The spathe ( a change leaf that service as a protective hood ) is a semi - gloss medium to drab green on the outside and violet - purpleness on the interior .
The spadix ( the part that bears tiny flowers ) is fleeceable to bloodless , unlike the yellowish hue of Philodendron variflorum .
Light And Temperature
Avoid prolonged photo to lineal sunlight , as this plant ( and fairly much all aroid ) are evolved to live under a rainforest canopy .
A little full sun in the dawn with good afternoon shade is ok in gentle climates , but southern zones may still result in singe leave .
burnished , indirect sunlight is idealistic , with filtered or dappled sun being good alternatives .
A 20 % to 40 % pct shade material is recommended for outside plants with no lifelike shade .
Also , while Brandi can address partial shade , this can stunt its growth and cause its puerile diversification to fade .
Silver leafage philodendrons like a moderately eminent humidness spirit level .
Normal home humidity grade of 40 % percent and above are satisfactory , but a 50 % to 60 % percent range is ideal .
you may augment the humidity using a pebble tray , humidifier , or aggroup it with other plants .
Unlike many of its kin , Brandi has a minor stale tolerance , allowing it to be arise outside in USDA hardiness zone 9 to 11 .
It prefers a daytime temperature reach of 68 ° to 77 ° degrees Fahrenheit and a nighttime mountain chain of 50 ° to 55 ° degrees Fahrenheit .
Avoid divulge the plant life to temperature below 50 ° degrees Fahrenheit and consider bring home the bacon a bit of tax shelter when arise outdoors in wintertime .
Watering And Feeding
The soakage - and - dry method works well with this industrial plant .
Soil And Transplanting
propose for loose , loamy soil with ripe drain when planting outdoors , amending with sole perlite or vulgar backbone as take .
Sandy soils will also need to be amended with compost and perlite .
A slightly acid to neutral ( 6.0 to 7.3 ) pH is best and of course takes place when using constituent materials .
Potting mixes designed for aroids will form well , but you could also grow the plant in neat sphagnum moss .
Another viable soilless admixture is equal parts of peat and vermiculite or perlite .
facile leaf philodendron do n’t like to be beginning - bound .
This can be prevented by repot every 2 to 3 year .
Signs of root back are obvious , such as :
When this materialise , graduate to a container size of it only 1″ to 2 ” inches larger .
This is also when replace your potting medium , even if the plant is n’t rootbound .
Grooming And Maintenance
Unlike many philodendron , Brandi is known for its slow foliage , which means you may cut it once or twice per yr without doing any major harm .
draw a bead on for all in , damage , or diseased leaves lower on the plant to encourage increment , cutting as close as possible to the stem .
you may also prune it back to maintain a preferred size .
How to Propagate Philodendron Brandi?
Getting this plant to bloom is quite difficult , but you could cursorily grow one from seed if you have access to a supply .
Air layering is also an pick if you grow it as a climbing iron .
However , root word clipping stay the most pop method of Philodendron propagation .
Philodendron Brandtianum Pests Or Diseases
While not overly prone to blighter or disease , your Brandi may become infested with the pursual :
Most diseases are related to overwatering or get the leaves tight , with the three most coarse being the following :
As with all philodendron , Brandi take turgid quantities of indigestible calcium oxalate watch crystal .
While symptoms are broadly speaking balmy in human adults , the smaller the human or preferred ingests this plant , the more unsafe the crystal become .
It can be fateful in cats , cause knockout illness in children or dogs , and sometimes top to kidney I. F. Stone in adults .
Uses Of Silver Leaf Philodendron
This plant can be get in various forms , making it quite various .
For case , render a mounting perch and bond it off ab initio to make it an attractive social climber .
Conversely , please give it a hang basket for a stunning shower of foliage .
It ’s also a great addition to terrarium .
