Heartleaf Philodendron Complete Houseplant Care Guide

This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I receive a commission for purchases made through these links, at no cost to you.

Heartleaf Philodendron is one of the easiest houseplants out there and doesn’t require a ton of care.

Here are the main things to know to care for Heartleaf Philodendron.

Water. Only water your Heartleaf Philodendron when the soil is almost completely dry. Then you can give your plant a thorough watering. Check your plants soil moisture level either with your index finger or by using a moisture meter.
Light. Heartleaf Philodendron can live in a variety of lighting conditions, but bright indirect sunlight is best. An example of this kind of light is near a south, east, or west facing window.
Fertilizer. Regularly feed your plant a high quality fertilizer. You can choose to go natural or synthetic. If using a synthetic fertilizer, make sure to dilute the recipe in half. Fertilize during the active growing season which is typically March-October.
Humidity. This is a tropical plant but it doesn’t need high humidity. You can place this plant in regular household humidity and it’ll thrive.

Here’s what to know to make sure your Heartleaf Philodendron thrives in its new home.

Light

Heartleaf Philodendron thrives in a variety of light settings. These plants thrive in bright indirect sunlight. You never want to place this plant in direct sunlight as this can burn your plants foliage.

A good place for this plant would be near a south, east, or west facing window. South facing is the strongest, most intense sunlight of the day which is why it’s important to place a sheer curtain between your plant and the harsh sunlight.

I have my Heartleaf Philodendron sitting near a south facing window getting dappled sunlight and it’s thriving in this spot.

Water

Heartleaf Philodendron only need to be watered when the plant is almost completely dry. For my large six inch pots, this is typically once a week and no more than that.

Check your plants soil either by using a moisture meter or sticking your index finger in about two inches deep. If the soil is dry, it’s time to give your plant a thorough watering.

You never want to overwater your plant because this can lead to an increase in fungus gnats and root rot.

Soil

I’ve been lazy with my Heartleaf Philodendron and never repot it. They are still in the same soil they came in from the store I bought them from.

Some people like to change the soil immediately when they buy the plant and I’m definitely not one of those people.

If you want to switch out your Heartleaf Philodendron soil, buy houseplant mix at the store or make your own recipe.

My favorite houseplant soil at big box stores is Fox Farm Ocean Forest houseplant mix. Or I like to make my own houseplant recipe which includes 50% coco coir, 25% perlite, and 25% worm castings.

Temperature

Heartleaf Philodendron live in temperatures between 55°F and 85°F. These plants like to stay on the warmer side.

Fertilizer

It’s crucial to give your plant a high quality fertilizer so your plant can stay happy and healthy.

Fertilizer helps keep the plant growing in your home and you’ll see faster growth, too.

There are many different types of fertilizer to choose from including granules, liquids, and worm castings. Liquid-based fertilizers can either be organic or synthetic.

If using a synthetic fertilizer, it’s important to dilute the recipe in half because synthetic fertilizer is quite strong and can burn the plants foliage.

I use a mixture of Blue Butterfly fertilizer and Liqui-Dirt which is a plant food and not technically a fertilizer. I like mixing both of these together and my plants love it.

Humidity

Heartleaf Philodendron does not require high humidity. This plant can survive in low humidity, as low as 20% humidity which is as dry as it’ll get for the most of us.

If you feel like you want to boost the humidity around your plant because you want to help encourage growth, here are my best tips.

Place your plant near a humidifier that runs daily
Place your plant on a pebble tray full of water
Place your plant in a group next to other plants and this will create a microclimate of higher humidity
You may choose to mist your plant but this doesn’t do a whole lot but some people find it enjoyable

Propagation

Propagating Heartleaf Philodendron is easy.

Here are the steps to take to propagate Heartleaf Philodendron.

With clean sheers, cut right below a node. You can choose to cut a stem that has many leaves on it or just one leaf.
Submerge the node under water and place in a spot getting a little sunlight.
In a few weeks, the stem cutting will have roots. Once the roots are a few inches long, move your plant to your preferred substrate.
Heartleaf Philodendron works in all kinds of substrate including well-draining soil, leca, lechuza pon, and even plain water.

Pictured is a Heartleaf Philodendron node.

Heartleaf Philodendron Common Questions

Is Heartleaf Philodendron rare?

Heartleaf Philodendron is one of the most common houseplants out there.

You can find this plant at almost any grocery store, big box store that sells houseplants, and local plant shops.

How much is a Heartleaf Philodendron?

A large 6 inch pot of Heartleaf Philodendron costs less than $20. I found a hanging 4 inch pot of Heartleaf Philodendron for less than $10 at a local nursery.

Is Heartleaf Philodendron hard to care for?

Heartleaf Philodendron is one of the easiest plants to care for.

You can pretty much forget about this plant and it’ll probably be better off. Just remember to water the plant once the soil is almost completely dry, which is most likely once a week for your plant.

This plant will even let you know when it’s thirsty by shriveling up like this. I waited too long to water and this is a telltale sign.

How do you care for Heartleaf Philodendron?

Caring for a Heartleaf Philodendron is quite easy.

Here are the main things to remember.

Place in bright indirect sunlight but also know that this plant can survive in a wide variety of lighting conditions
Water your plant roughly once a week or when the plants soil is almost completely dry
Feed your plant fertilizer regularly during the growing season

Is Heartleaf Philodendron a fast grower?

Heartleaf Philodendron is a fast grower when placed in the best growing conditions.

For example, I have my Heartleaf Philodendron sitting next to a south facing window getting dappled sunlight. This plant is vining like crazy and is becoming one of my fastest growing houseplants.

You can grow this plant outside if you live in tropical conditions, but for most of us that isn’t the case. It’ll be much easier to grow your plant inside your home where you can control the elements.

How big do Heartleaf Philodendron get?

Heartleaf Philodendron can get quite long especially if placed in bright indirect sunlight and given proper fertilizer during the growing season.

I’ve seen this plant get up to 10 feet long in the house. This is a great plant to hang on a ceiling or have crawling up a support pole.

How do I make my Heartleaf Philodendron bigger?

There are a few things you can do to encourage growth on your Heartleaf Philodendron.

Place new cuttings of Heartleaf Philodendron in the same pot of your plant
Regularly fertilize your plant so it gets the nutrients it needs
Place your plant in bright indirect sunlight like near a south, west, or east facing window
Consistently water when the plants soil is almost dry

Does Heartleaf Philodendron climb?

Heartleaf Philodendron are climbers which makes this a great plant for support poles.

You can also make this a hanging plant that sits in a basket and hangs from the ceiling. I like to keep mine as a hanging plant in a macrame hanger.

How do you propagate Heartleaf Philodendron?

Propagating Heartleaf Philodendron is easy. All you need to do is the following:

Grab clean sheers and cut below a node on the stem of your plan
Submerge the node under plain water (no need to add fertilizer or anything special to the water)
In about three weeks you’ll see roots on the cutting
Once the roots are about three inches long, you can transfer the cutting to your choice of substrate.

Is the Heartleaf Philodendron toxic to pets?

Yes, this plant is toxic to pets. You can get more information on toxic and pet-friendly plants at ASPCA here.

Prevent pests

Philodendrons are known to be some of the hardiest plants out there and many of these plants rarely suffer from pest pressures.

Pests can be quite annoying because they can damage foliage and suck the life out of the plant. That’s why it’s important to stay on top of pest preventative.

To prevent pests, here’s what you can do:

Use a natural or synthetic pest killer to prevent pests
Check your plants once a week for pest pressures
Make sure not to overwater your plants (overwatering leads to fungus gnats)

Bonide Systemic Granules are a great way to get rid of unwanted pests.

Common issues

Brown tips: If your Philodendron Heartleaf has brown tips, this can be a sign that your plant is getting too much fertilizer. Make sure to follow the instructions on the fertilizer bottle. If using a synthetic fertilizer, you need to dilute the recipe in half since these synthetic fertilizers are much stronger than natural fertilizers like worm castings.

Curly leaves: If your Philodendron Heartleaf has curly leaves, this can be a sign that your plant is thirsty. Make sure to regularly check your plants soil moisture level with a moisture meter or your index finger.

Yellowing leaves: If your Philodendron Heartleaf has yellowing leaves, this is typically because of underwatering or overwatering. For most people, yellowing leaves is because of overwatering. Make sure to use a moisture meter or your index finger to check the plants soil before you water your plants.

Key Points To Remember

Heartleaf Philodendron is one of my favorite houseplants because of how quickly it grows and how easy it is to care for.

All you need to know is this: 1) place your plant in bright indirect sunlight like a south, east, or west facing window 2) water when the soil is almost completely dry or when you stick your index finger in and the soil is dry 3) fertilize during the active growing season.

This plant is so easy and makes for a great houseplant gift or a plant for someone who is just getting into houseplants.