Philodendron Care: Light, Water, Propagation and Yellow Leaf Fixes

Philodendrons are some of the easiest houseplants you can grow. They forgive missed waterings, cope with less-than-perfect light and grow fast enough that you can actually watch them improve. Most problems come from just two things: soggy soil and a spot that is too dark. Get those right and a philodendron will happily trail, climb or fill a corner for years.

Philodendron care at a glance

Need	What a philodendron wants
Light	Bright, indirect light; tolerates medium to low light. No harsh direct sun
Water	When the top inch of soil is dry, usually every 1 to 2 weeks
Soil	All-purpose potting mix, ideally with some perlite or bark
Pot	Any pot with a drainage hole; a heavy one for big self-heading types
Temperature	65 to 80°F (18 to 27°C); keep above 55°F (13°C)
Humidity	Likes it humid but copes with normal home air
Fertilizer	Balanced houseplant food at half strength, once or twice a month in spring and summer
Pets	Toxic to cats and dogs (calcium oxalate crystals)

Climbing or self-heading: which philodendron do you have?

There are hundreds of philodendrons, but the ones sold as houseplants fall into two simple groups. Care is almost the same; the difference is how they grow.

• Climbing (vining) philodendrons send out long stems with leaves along them. They trail from a shelf or hanging basket, or climb a moss pole. Examples: heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum), ‘Brasil’, ‘Micans’, ‘Pink Princess’ and the red-leaf types.
• Self-heading (upright) philodendrons grow leaves from a central crown and get wider rather than longer. Examples: ‘Birkin’, ‘Xanadu’, ‘Moonlight’ and the large split-leaf tree philodendron. Some grow twice as wide as they are tall, so give them room.

The heartleaf philodendron is the most common and the toughest. If you just bought a ‘philodendron’ with soft, heart-shaped green leaves on long stems, that is almost certainly what you have.

How much light does a philodendron need?

Philodendrons grow best in bright, indirect light: a few feet from an east or west window, or near a south window behind a sheer curtain. They come from the floor of tropical forests, so they are used to filtered light and will burn in hot, direct afternoon sun.

Heartleaf philodendron is one of the few plants that copes with genuinely low light, such as a north window or a spot well back from the glass. It will grow slower there, with smaller leaves spaced further apart, but it will live. Colorful types like ‘Pink Princess’, ‘Birkin’ and ‘Prince of Orange’ need brighter light to keep their color.

• Too little light: long bare stems, small leaves, big gaps between leaves, variegated leaves turning plain green.
• Too much sun: pale, bleached or yellow-white leaves and brown, crispy patches.
• Just right: steady new growth with leaves the same size as, or bigger than, the old ones.

Not sure what light you have? Our lighting guide shows how to check, and our list of the best low-light houseplants has more plants for dim rooms.

How often to water a philodendron

Water when the top inch of soil feels dry (about the first knuckle of your finger). In most homes that is every 1 to 2 weeks in spring and summer and every 2 to 3 weeks in winter. The plant, not the calendar, decides.

1. Push a finger into the soil. If the top inch is dry, it is time to water.
2. Water slowly and evenly until water flows out of the drainage hole.
3. Let it drain, then empty the saucer or cachepot. Never let the pot stand in water.
4. Check again in a week. Plants in brighter light and warm rooms dry out faster.

More on getting the amount right in our watering guide.

Best soil and pot

A good all-purpose potting mix works for most philodendrons. To make it airier, mix in about one part perlite or orchid bark to three parts potting mix. That keeps roots moist but never waterlogged.

Always use a pot with a drainage hole. Plastic or glazed pots hold moisture longer; terracotta dries faster, which suits people who tend to overwater. Big self-heading philodendrons get top-heavy, so choose a sturdy, heavy pot. See our potting soil guide.

Temperature and humidity

Keep philodendrons between 65 and 80°F (18 to 27°C). They do not like cold: keep them above 55°F (13°C) and away from cold windows, doors and air-conditioning vents in summer.

They love humidity but handle ordinary indoor air well, which is part of why they are so easy. If the air is very dry in winter and new leaves come out brown at the edges, group plants together or use a humidifier. Thin-leaved types like ‘Micans’ appreciate extra humidity most. See our humidity guide.

Fertilizing a philodendron

Feed with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength once or twice a month in spring and summer, on damp soil. Stop feeding in autumn and winter when growth slows.

Slow growth and small, pale new leaves can mean the plant is hungry. Brown, curled leaf tips usually mean the opposite: too much fertilizer. If that happens, flush the pot with plenty of plain water and feed less often. More in our fertilizing guide.

Moss poles, trailing and pruning

Climbing philodendrons can trail or climb, and both are fine. Given something to climb, such as a moss pole or plank, many produce bigger leaves, because in nature they climb trees toward the light. Tie stems loosely to the pole and tuck the aerial roots against it.

Those brown, stringy aerial roots growing from the stems are normal. You can leave them, guide them into the soil or the pole, or trim them off; it will not hurt the plant.

To keep a trailing philodendron full rather than leggy, prune long stems in spring or summer. Cut just above a leaf node (the bump where a leaf joins the stem). New growth sprouts from the node below the cut, and the pieces you remove are perfect for propagating. See our pruning guide.

How to propagate a philodendron

Climbing philodendrons are among the easiest plants to propagate. Each piece of stem with a node can grow into a new plant.

In water (easiest to watch)

1. Cut a 3 to 6 inch piece of healthy stem with at least one or two nodes and a couple of leaves.
2. Remove the leaf closest to the cut end so a bare node can sit in water.
3. Stand the cutting in a jar of water in bright, indirect light, with the node under water and the leaves above it.
4. Change the water every few days.
5. When the roots are 1 to 2 inches long, usually after 2 to 4 weeks, pot the cutting in damp potting mix and keep the soil lightly moist for the first couple of weeks.

In soil

Push the same kind of cutting straight into damp potting mix with the node buried, and keep it lightly moist and warm. Rooting hormone speeds things up but is not essential. For a fuller plant, put three to five cuttings in one pot.

Self-heading types are different: you propagate them by separating the small offsets that grow at the base, each with its own roots. Our propagation guide covers more methods.

When to repot

Philodendrons like being a little snug in their pot. Repot every 1 to 2 years, ideally in spring, when roots circle the bottom or poke out of the drainage hole, or when the soil dries out within a couple of days. Move up just one pot size (1 to 2 inches wider) and use fresh mix. Our repotting guide walks you through it.

Common philodendron problems and fixes

What you see	Most likely cause	What to do
Yellow lower leaves, soil wet	Overwatering	Let the top inch dry before watering; check drainage
Yellow leaves, soil bone dry	Underwatering	Water deeply; check the soil more often
Drooping leaves	Too dry or too wet	Feel the soil: water if dry, let it dry if wet
Long bare stems, small leaves	Not enough light	Move closer to a window; prune and re-root the tips
Brown, crispy patches	Direct sun scorch	Move out of hot afternoon sun
Brown, curled leaf tips	Too much fertilizer or very dry air	Flush the soil; feed less; raise humidity
Mushy stems, sour smell from soil	Root rot	Cut away black roots, repot in fresh mix
Variegated leaves turning green	Not enough light	Give brighter, indirect light
Sticky leaves, webbing or white fluff	Aphids, spider mites or mealybugs	Rinse in the shower; wipe with insecticidal soap

One or two old leaves yellowing now and then is just the plant replacing them. Lots at once is a sign to look at watering first. For more help see our guides to yellow leaves, root rot and houseplant pests.

Philodendron or pothos?

Heartleaf philodendron and pothos look so alike that they are often sold under the wrong name. Care is nearly identical, but here is how to tell them apart:

	Heartleaf philodendron	Pothos
Leaves	Thin, soft, clearly heart-shaped	Thicker, waxier, slightly textured
Leaf stalk	Round all the way	Has a groove along the top
New leaves	Grow inside a small sheath (cataphyll) that dries up and falls off	Unfurl straight from the previous leaf
Aerial roots	Thin, several per node	Thicker, usually one per node

Is philodendron toxic to pets?

Yes. Philodendrons contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, and the ASPCA lists them as toxic to cats and dogs. Chewing a leaf causes immediate mouth pain, drooling, pawing at the mouth, vomiting and difficulty swallowing. It is rarely life-threatening, but keep philodendrons in hanging baskets or on high shelves and call your vet or a pet poison helpline if your pet has eaten some. For safer options, see our pet-friendly houseplants.

Quick action checklist

Save this for later: pin the cheat sheet below to your Pinterest plant board so it is there when you need it.

Philodendron care FAQ

Sources and further reading

Want to go deeper? These university extension and expert resources cover the same topic:

• Iowa State University Extension: Growing philodendrons in the home
• Clemson Cooperative Extension: Philodendron (HGIC 1509)
• UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Hybrid philodendrons
• University of Illinois Extension: Philodendron
• ASPCA: Heartleaf philodendron toxicity