Philodendron Brasil Complete Houseplant Care Guide

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Philodendron Brasil is one of the most popular houseplants and is often the first plant anyone ever brings into their home.

You’ll likely see this plant hanging out near the grocery checkout at the store or in the plant section at Lowes or Home Depot.

This was one of my very first houseplants I ever owned and it’s also been the easiest.

Here are the main things you need to know to properly care for Philodendron Brasil.

Water. Water Philodendron Brasil when the soil is almost completely dry. Then give your plant a thorough watering under the sink or with a watering can.
Light. This is a resilient plant that can be placed in almost any light setting. I have my plant in a west facing window over 10 feet away and it’s continually pushing out new leaves despite such little sunlight. Try to place this plant near a south, face, or east facing window getting bright indirect sunlight.
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 so Philodendron Brasil thrives in your home.

Light

Philodendron Brasil thrive and survive 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.

I have three of my plants in different areas of my house. Two plants are growing near a south facing window, and another Brasil is growing in an east facing bedroom. For some reason I’m finding that the plant getting less light is growing faster than the plant growing near a south facing window.

This is also a houseplant you can place under plant grow lights like T5 Barrina lights. I use these plant grow lights in my home for many of my plants and I love them.

Water

Philodendron Brasil’s only need to be watered when the plant is almost completely dry.

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 fungus gnats and root rot.

Soil

I’ve been lazy with my Philodendron Brasil’s and never repotted them.

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 not one of those people.

If you want to switch out your Philodendron Brasil’s 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.

I also like to make my own houseplant recipe which includes 50% coco coir, 25% perlite, and 25% worm castings.

Temperature

Philodendron Brasil 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.

There are 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 personally 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 definitely love it.

Humidity

Philodendron Brasil does not require high humidity. This plant survives 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 of other plants which creates a microclimate of humidity
You may choose to mist your plant but this doesn’t do a whole lot but some people find it enjoyable

Propagation

Propagating Philodendron Brasil is easy.

Here’s how to propagate Philodendron Brasil.

With clean sheers, cut right below a node. Cut a stem that has many leaves on it or just one leaf.
Submerge the node under water and place in a spot getting some 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.
Philodendron Brasil grows in all kinds of substrate including well-draining soil, leca, lechuza pon, and even plain water.

Philodendron Brasil Common Questions

Is Philodendron Brasil rare?

Philodendron Brasil is not a rare plant.

This plant is found in any big box store and even grocery stores sell large Philodendron Brasil for an affordable price.

How much is a Philodendron Brasil?

A large 6 inch pot of Philodendron Brasil goes for under $20. The cheapest place to find this plant is typically a grocery store or big box store like Lowes or Home Depot.

Is Philodendron Brasil hard to care for?

Philodendron Brasil is not hard to care for.

This is a great houseplant for beginner houseplant enthusiasts as it requires very little care. You can forget to water this plant and place it in a dark room and it’ll probably be fine.

How do you care for Philodendron Brasil?

Caring for a Philodendron Brasil 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

Is Philodendron Brasil a fast grower?

Philodendron Brasil is a fast grower depending on the growing conditions.

If you place your plant in bright indirect sunlight and water regularly and feed the plant fertilizer, your plant will grow quickly. If you place your Philodendron Brasil in a dark room and forget to water it, you may see much slower growth.

If you live in tropical conditions where it’s warm year round, you can likely grow your Philodendron Brasil grow outside.

How big do Philodendron Brasil get?

Philodendron Brasil have the potential to get massive in your home.

If given adequate growing conditions, your plant may get many feet long and take over your living room. This is a beautiful vining plant that makes for a great hanging basket plant or a vining plant that you stick along your walls with plant tape.

How do I make my Philodendron Brasil bigger?

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

Place new cuttings of Brasil 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 Philodendron Brasil climb?

Philodendron Brasil are climbers which makes this a great plant for support poles and trellis’.

You can also choose to make this a hanging plant that sits in a basket and hangs from the ceiling. That’s what I chose to do for both of my Philodendron Brasil’s.

How do you propagate Philodendron Brasil?

Propagating Philodendron Brasil 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 Philodendron Brasil 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 are annoying because they 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
Don’t overwater your plants (overwatering can lead to increase in fungus gnats)

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

Common issues

Brown tips: If your Philodendron Brasil has brown tips, this may be a sign of a fungal or bacterial infection. You may be overwatering your plant and if so, your plant most likely has root rot. If you think this may be the case, gently lift your plant out of the pot and check the plants roots. Make sure the roots are strong and healthy. You shouldn’t see any black, mushy roots. If you do, that is root rot. If your plant has root rot, you want to remove any infected roots, get rid of the soil, and repot the plant in fresh soil.

Curly leaves: If your Philodendron Brasil has curly leaves, this may be a sign that your plant is cold, sitting in a drafty area, or needs a little bit of humidity. Make sure to never place any houseplant near a drafty area (doors, windows, AC’s, vents).

Yellowing leaves: If your Philodendron Brasil has yellowing leaves, this can be a sign of overwatering. Make sure to only water your plant when the soil is almost completely dry. You can figure this out by using a moisture meter or using your index finger to check the plants soil.

Key Points To Remember

Philodendron Brasil is one of the most common and easiest houseplants to take care of.

I don’t like to have duplicate houseplants in my home but I actually have three Philodendron Brasil’s – that’s how much I enjoy them.

Place your plant in a spot getting bright, indirect sunlight and water whenever the plant is almost completely dry. Feed your plant regularly with a high quality fertilizer.

This plant is really easy and there’s not too much to think about when taking care of this plant. Just enjoy the beauty of it!