Philodendron Care Guide
Philodendrons are among the most forgiving houseplants you can grow, with a huge range of trailing and climbing varieties. This guide covers light, watering, propagation and how to tell them apart from pothos.

Philodendrons have earned their reputation as nearly foolproof houseplants. With glossy foliage, a tolerant nature and an enormous range of leaf shapes, they suit beginners and collectors alike. Whether you have a humble heartleaf trailing from a shelf or a statuesque climbing variety scaling a moss pole, the basics of care are remarkably similar across the genus.
Trailing vs climbing types
Philodendrons fall broadly into two growth habits, and knowing which you have helps you give it the right support.
Trailing (vining) philodendrons
These produce long, flexible stems that cascade beautifully from hanging baskets or shelves. The classic example is the heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum), along with cultivars like 'Brasil', 'Micans' with its velvety bronze leaves, and 'Lemon Lime' in vivid chartreuse. They can also be trained upward on a small trellis or moss pole, where leaves will gradually grow larger.
Climbing philodendrons
Climbers naturally want to ascend, sending out aerial roots that grip onto bark or moss poles in the wild. Popular climbers include Philodendron erubescens hybrids such as 'Pink Princess', 'Painted Lady' and 'White Knight', as well as larger species like Philodendron gloriosum (a creeper that grows along the soil surface) and Philodendron melanochrysum. Given proper support, these plants produce dramatically larger, more mature leaves over time.
Light requirements
Most philodendrons thrive in bright, indirect light. An east-facing window or a spot a metre or so back from a south or west-facing window is ideal. They will tolerate medium light, though growth slows and variegated cultivars may lose their patterning. Direct midday sun, particularly through glass, scorches the leaves, leaving pale or crispy patches.
If your plant is reaching with long gaps between leaves (etiolation) or new leaves are noticeably smaller, it's asking for more light. Variegated types such as 'Pink Princess' need especially bright indirect light to maintain their colour without burning.
Watering
Philodendrons prefer the top 2–3 cm of soil to dry between waterings. Push a finger into the compost; if it feels dry at that depth, water thoroughly until it runs from the drainage holes, then empty the saucer. Overwatering is the most common cause of trouble, leading to yellowing leaves and root rot.
- Underwatered: drooping leaves, dry crisp edges, light pot when lifted.
- Overwatered: yellow lower leaves, mushy stems, a sour smell from the compost.
Water less often in winter, when growth slows and the compost stays wet for longer. Always use tepid water and a pot with drainage.
Humidity, temperature and soil
Average household humidity suits most heartleaf-type philodendrons, though velvet-leaved species like 'Micans' and melanochrysum appreciate a more humid spot — a bathroom, kitchen or a pebble tray will help. Keep them between roughly 18–27°C and away from cold draughts and radiators.
Use a chunky, well-draining mix. A blend of peat-free houseplant compost with added perlite, orchid bark and a little coco coir works well. This mimics the loose, airy debris philodendrons root into on the forest floor and around tree trunks.
Feeding and potting on
Feed monthly during spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertiliser at half strength. Pause feeding in autumn and winter.
Repot every 1–2 years, or when roots circle the pot or push through the drainage holes. Go up just one pot size — too large a pot holds excess moisture and invites rot. Spring is the best time to repot, refresh the compost and inspect the root system.
Propagation
Philodendrons are wonderfully easy to propagate from stem cuttings.
- Identify a healthy stem and locate a node — the small bump where a leaf meets the stem, often with a tiny aerial root.
- Cut just below the node with clean, sharp scissors. Each cutting should have at least one leaf and one node.
- Place the cutting in a jar of water, keeping leaves above the surface, or pot directly into damp compost.
- Set somewhere warm with bright, indirect light. Refresh water weekly.
- Roots typically appear within 2–4 weeks. Pot up water-rooted cuttings once roots are a few centimetres long.
Pests and common problems
Philodendrons are not especially pest-prone, but watch for spider mites (fine webbing, stippled leaves), mealybugs (white cottony tufts in leaf joints) and the occasional thrips. Wipe leaves regularly with a damp cloth, both to deter pests and to keep the foliage glossy.
- Yellow leaves: usually overwatering; occasionally a much older leaf simply ageing off.
- Brown crispy tips: dry air, underwatering or a build-up of mineral salts — flush the compost occasionally.
- Leggy growth: insufficient light; move closer to a window.
Telling philodendron apart from pothos
Heartleaf philodendron and golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) are constantly confused, since both have heart-shaped green leaves and trail happily. A few reliable clues:
- Leaf texture: philodendron leaves are thinner, softer and matt, with a more elongated heart shape and a pronounced point. Pothos leaves are thicker, waxier and slightly more asymmetrical.
- New growth: philodendrons produce new leaves from a papery sheath called a cataphyll, which dries and falls off. Pothos new leaves simply unfurl from the previous one with no sheath.
- Aerial roots: philodendrons typically have one slender aerial root per node, while pothos produce stubbier, often multiple nubs.
- Petiole: the philodendron leaf stem is round and smooth; pothos petioles have a small groove or indentation along the top.
Final thoughts
Give a philodendron decent light, water it when the top of the compost dries and a chunky mix to root into, and it will reward you for years. They're generous with cuttings, quick to bounce back from neglect, and offer a variety in leaf shape and colour that can fuel a lifelong collection from a single, easy-going genus.
Tools and supplies for this
Products we'd actually buy for this job. Linking to Amazon — if you buy through these links we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
- Weston Mill Pottery Terracotta plant pots, 175mm (pack of 10)
Mid-size workhorse terracotta — perfect step-up for plants outgrowing their nursery pots.
- Weston Mill Pottery Terracotta plant pots, 20cm (pack of 5)
Heavyweight 20cm clay for established plants — the porous walls help prevent the soggy roots aroids hate.
- Whitefurze G04012 7.5cm Garden Pot - Terracotta (Set of 10)
Cheap, cheerful plastic propagation pots — what we actually use for cuttings and small offsets.
- Whitefurze G04013 10cm Garden Pot - Terracotta (Set of 7)
Reliable mid-size nursery pots with proper drainage holes — the boring essential every plant parent runs out of.
BotanicBuddy Editorial Team
Plant Care Team
Passionate about helping plant parents succeed with expert tips and proven techniques.
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Comments(11)
I've definitely put my philodendrons through their paces over the years—they really do bounce back from neglect better than almost anything else I've grown. My one hard-won tip: I used to underwater mine thinking they were more drought-tolerant than they actually are, but they actually prefer consistently moist (not wet) soil, especially the larger-leaved varieties. Makes a huge difference in leaf size and vigor, at least in my Mediterranean climate where everything dries out so quickly.
I appreciate this guide—I've definitely killed my share of pothos trying to grow them like orchids, so the distinction is helpful! My one tip after years of houseplant fumbling: philodendrons seem way more forgiving about inconsistent watering than I ever gave them credit for, especially in an arid climate like mine where everything dries out faster. I actually had better luck letting mine dry out a bit between waterings instead of keeping it evenly moist, which feels counterintuitive coming from someone whose orchid collection basically lives on a schedule.
I'd push back gently on "forgiving" — they're resilient, sure, but I've seen plenty killed by overwatering because people assume that translates to lax care. The real win with philos is they tolerate lower light, which matters in my place with mostly north-facing windows. Propagation is straightforward though, I'll give you that. Did you cover aerial root development in the climbing varieties, or focus mainly on water propagation?
I've got a couple of philodendrons myself and they really are hard to kill, though I do think the watering advice matters more than people realize—I learned the hard way that "forgiving" doesn't mean you should just dump water on them! One thing I'd love to know: did you cover the differences between the varieties in terms of growth speed? I've noticed my heartleaf grows way faster than my pink princess, and I'm curious if that's just normal variation or if I'm doing something different with them.
I've got five philodendrons scattered around my place, and they're honestly lifesavers for someone like me in a cold climate—they don't mind the lower humidity from heated winter air like some tropicals do. My biggest lesson was overwatering them when I first started out; I learned the hard way that their roots hate sitting wet, even though they seem so easygoing. Do you find that the trailing varieties propagate faster than the climbing ones, or is that just been my experience?
I've been wanting to get a philodendron for ages, but I kept confusing them with my pothos! Do you have a recommendation for which variety would be best if I'm still pretty new to houseplants? I have a pretty bright window, but my place gets pretty warm and dry, so I'm wondering if that might be an issue.
I appreciate the distinction between philodendrons and pothos since people mix them up constantly, but I'd push back gently on "most forgiving"—I've found they're actually pickier about watering than their reputation suggests, especially the larger-leafed varieties. They tolerate neglect better than, say, a fussy fern, but inconsistent moisture tanks them faster than people expect. That said, propagation is genuinely bulletproof with these, so if someone's new to plants, starting with cuttings in water is a great confidence builder.
I've got three philodendrons in my collection and honestly they've been lifesavers for a beginner like me—way more forgiving than I expected! I'm curious about the pothos comparison since I always mix those two up at the nursery. Do you have a quick way to tell them apart, or is it one of those things you just learn by looking at a bunch of them side by side?
I've got two philodendrons right now and honestly they've been the easiest plants in my collection so far, which is saying something since I'm still figuring most things out! I do have a question though—I keep seeing people say they're different from pothos but mine honestly look pretty similar to me. I took a photo of my climbing one next to a description I found, but I'm still not 100% sure which is which. Does the care change much between the two, or is it basically the same approach?
I've got a couple of Philodendrons in my collection and I'm still figuring out the differences between them and pothos—I have a photo of one that I think might actually be mislabeled, but I can't quite tell if it's a Philodendron hederaceum or something else. Would the guide go into how to spot the differences in the petioles or leaf shape? I'm in a tropical climate so watering has been pretty intuitive, but I'm curious about the propagation tips since I'd love to expand my nine plants without spending more money!
I appreciate the distinction you're making between philodendrons and pothos—that's something a lot of people gloss over. That said, I'd gently push back on "forgiving" as a blanket statement. While something like Philodendron hederaceum is pretty tough, I've found that varieties like P. melanochrysum and P. gloriosum are actually quite particular about humidity and can sulk if conditions aren't right. They're forgiving compared to, say, a finicky aroid, but they're not quite on the level of a true beginner plant in my experience.