Philodendron Micans Complete Plant Care Guide

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Philodendron Micans is a common houseplant that you can find almost anywhere. Looking for a stunning houseplant that looks way more expensive than it actually is? This is it. Known to be easygoing, Philodendron Micans is a plant everyone should have in the home.

Philodendron Micans main care directions.

Light. Place this plant in bright indirect sunlight, near a south, east, or west facing window. This plant can manage lower lighting, but in order to thrive, near a south facing window is best.
Water. Stick your finger in two inches deep into the soil – if it’s dry, it’s time to water P. Micans.
Soil. Well-draining potting mix is crucial. Use a homemade recipe or a high quality potting mix like Fox Farm Ocean Forest. Make a potting mix more chunky (which increases drainage) by adding extra perlite or orchid bark.
Humidity. No special humidity requirements. I keep my Philodendron Micans in regular household humidity (20%).

Philodendron Micans thrive in the home with these care tips.

Light

This is one of those houseplants that work almost anywhere in the home. I have my P. Micans sitting about 10 feet away from a south facing window and it gets a limited amount of sunlight, yet it’s still actively growing.

The best spot for this plant would be near a south, east, or west facing window. South facing windows get the longest, most intense sunlight of the day whereas north facing windows get the exact opposite. North facing windows get very little sun. Philodendron Micans can handle this little of sunlight, but your plant will likely grow slowly.

Don’t have a lot of sunlight coming into the home? No worries, use plant grow lights. I use plant grow lights for about 100 plants. They’re growing under T5 Barrina plant grow lights. T5 Barrina lights is a full spectrum sunlight replacement. They are easy to install and haven’t raised my electricity bill a noticeable amount. You can even use these lights for plants in a seedling, vegetative, or flowering cycle. These lights include double-sided tape, clips, and cable ties. I use the double-sided tape to stick the lights on.

Water

Philodendron Micans is a hardy houseplant with regular water needs. When the top two inches of soil are dry, it’s time to water. Stick your index finger in about two inches deep and if the soil comes out dry, it’s time for a thorough watering.

When you’re first starting out with houseplants, it’s important to check your plants soil before watering. A lot of people think their houseplants need way more water than they actually need, and this leads to fungus gnats and even the plant eventually dying.

A moisture meter is helpful for people who have trouble knowing when to water their plants. I use this moisture meter and it’s easy and convenient to use. This handy tool doesn’t require batteries and helps me check plants in hard to reach places. Insert the moisture meter probe about 2-5 inches into the soil. If the meter reads on the dryer side, it’s time to water the plant. These tools are a little controversial in the houseplant community, but I find them helpful and they haven’t done me wrong, so I continue to recommend them.

Soil

Philodendron Micans thrive in well-draining soil. Well-draining soil is important because it allows air fly and oxygen to move around the roots.

What does well-draining soil look like? Something like Fox Farm Ocean Forest potting mix is a great option for those of us that don’t want to make our own potting mix. This potting mix has a blend of earthworm castings, bat guano, sea-going fish and crab meal, forest humus, moss, and other key ingredients.

If you do want to make your own potting mix, an easy recipe calls for 40% coco coir, 25% perlite, 25% orchid bark, and 10% vermiculite.

If you have a ton of houseplants you need to repot in new potting mix, your money goes further if you make your own potting mix instead of buying a pre-made bag.

Temperature

Philodendron Micans thrive in temperatures between 60°F and 85°F (15°C and 29°C). I would recommend against placing this plant outside no matter where you live because the velvety leaves are quite sensitive to harsh sunlight.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing your houseplants is crucial because it gives your plants the nutrients it needs to grow healthy and happy in the home.

I know fertilizer can get confusing because there’s so many different kinds and NPK ratios. I’m going to keep things as simple as possible.

First of all, you can choose from a granule-based fertilizer, liquid fertilizer, or natural fertilizer like worm castings.

It doesn’t really matter which fertilizer you use, but there are a few key things to know. If using a synthetic fertilizer (you’ll know if it’s synthetic if the NPK ratio is something like 20-20-20) you need to dilute the recipe in half. This is because synthetic fertilizers are really strong and can damage your plant. So if a synthetic fertilizer calls for 1 teaspoon into a gallon of water, you may want to do half a teaspoon into a gallon of water.

It’s also important that you only fertilize during the active growing season. This is typically March through October for many of us. If you fertilize year round, your plants will probably be fine, but it’s a common rule to only feed during the growing season.

How often you fertilize is up to you. I fertilize every watering because this keeps things simple for me, but you can choose to fertilize every other watering, bi-weekly, once a month, etc.

You’ll notice some plants need fertilizer more than others. For example, Monstera Deliciosa is one of those plants that are heavy feeders. I find that Philodendron Micans is a regular feeder and doesn’t need too much.

I use both Liqui-Dirt (plant food, not technically a fertilizer but it has everything your plants need to grow healthy) and Dyna-Gro fertilizer. With Dyna-Gro, I get a spoonful and mix it into a gallon of water. I use this gallon to water my houseplants.

Humidity

I love Philodendron Micans because it doesn’t require any special humidity. My plant is in a room getting about 20% humidity and it’s thriving and actively putting out new growth.

If you decide to give your plant extra humidity, it’s not going to hurt. I mean, this is tropical houseplant after all. You’ll probably even see some faster growth because you’re doing this.

Here are my best tips for increasing humidity around your plants.

Place a humidifier near your plants and run it daily
Group plants together – this creates a microclimate of higher humidity
Place a tray under the plant and fill with rocks and water – the water evaporates around the plant
Put your plants in a greenhouse (I made a greenhouse with an IKEA cabinet and it stays around 50% humidity with plants, no humidifier necessary)

Propagation

Propagating a Philodendron Micans is simple. The stem has nodes making it one of the easiest plants to propagate.

With clean cutting sheers, cut below a node on the stem of the plant. Nodes look like little hard pimples on the stem. Submerge the node underwater and in a few weeks, the node will have roots growing out of it.

Once the roots are a few inches long, move the cutting to your preferred substrate. This plant loves well-draining soil, so something like Fox Farm Ocean Forest potting mix will work great.

Related read: How To Get Free Or Cheap Houseplants

Philodendron Micans common questions

Is Philodendron Micans rare?

This plant isn’t rare at all. You can find it almost anywhere, sometimes even at grocery stores.

How much is a Philodendron Micans?

A 6 inch pot of Philodendron Micans shouldn’t cost you more than $40. This price varies depending on where you live, how long the vines are, and how large the leaves are.

Is Philodendron Micans hard to take care of?

This plant isn’t hard to take care of at all. As long as you place this plant in a spot getting some decent sunlight, you’re golden. Make sure to water when the top two inches of soil are dry. Remember as I mentioned earlier, people new to houseplants often kill their plants because they are watering them too often. Check the plants soil before watering either with your index finger or a moisture meter.

How do you care for Philodendron Micans?

Philodendron Micans is an easygoing plant with basic needs. Place the plant in a spot getting bright indirect sunlight (south, east, or west facing window), water when the top two inches of soil are dry, and fertilize during the active growing season. No special humidity requirements.

Is Philodendron Micans a fast grower?

Philodendron Micans is a fast grower once it’s put in a spot and established there. For example, I have my P. Micans sitting about ten feet away from a south facing window and it’s actively putting out new growth. If I were to put this same exact plant in a north facing window that gets very little sunlight, this plant would probably grow a lot slower.

Can Philodendron Micans grow outside?

I personally wouldn’t put Philodendron Micans outside because of the soft, velvety leaves. These leaves can easily scorch in the sun and it’s too risky outside. I like to keep the majority of my houseplants in the home where I can control the elements.

Does Philodendron Micans like full sun or shade?

Philodendron Micans like shade, so if you’re placing this plant directly next to a south facing window, I recommend placing a sheer curtain on the window to protect it from sunlight.

Do Philodendron Micans like small pots?

Philodendron Micans don’t need to be repotted that often. If you find that your plant is getting root-bound, it’s time to transfer your plant to a new pot about 1-2 inches larger.

Should I mist Philodendron Micans?

You don’t have to worry about misting your Philodendron Micans. This isn’t the kind of plant that needs extra humidity, but you’re more than welcome to if you’re feeling extra.

How big do Philodendron Micans get?

Philodendron Micans get massive. I have a 6 inch pot of P. Micans and it’s hanging from my ceiling and getting huge. This is the kind of plant that you can encourage to grow tall or hang down from a pot. Either way, it can get several feet long.

How do I make Philodendron Micans bigger?

To encourage growth on your P. Micans, make sure you’re regularly fertilizing with a high quality fertilizer. Something like Dyna-Gro works great for this plant and you’ll notice a difference in growth once you start giving it this.

Related read: Best Houseplant Books For Plant Lovers

Does Philodendron Micans climb?

Philodendron Micans can climb on a moss pole or trellis. This encourages the plant to grow larger leaves and it looks pretty darn cool.

Is Philodendron Micans 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

Philodendron Micans get pest pressures just like any other houseplant. It’s important to keep bad pests away because these little suckers literally suck the life out of your plants and kill them.

Best pest prevention tips:

Use a natural or synthetic pest killer to prevent pests
Check your plants once a week for pests
Make sure not to overwater your plants (overwatering can lead to fungus gnats)
Quarantine new plants for a week or two before putting them with the rest of your plants
Regularly clean your plants foliage with a mixture of water and a drop of dish soap

Common issues

Brown tips: If your Philodendron Micans has brown tips, this may be a sign of too much sunlight or not enough water.

Curly leaves: If your Philodendron Micans has curly leaves, it’s most likely a sign that your plant needs water. Make sure to check your plants soil before watering. Dip your index finger in about two inches into the soil. If it’s dry, it’s time to water your plant.

Yellowing leaves: If your Philodendron Micans has yellowing leaves, this can be a sign of many things, including under or over watering, too much fertilizer or even pest pressures.

Key Points To Remember

To properly care for Philodendron Micans, all you need to remember is to place this plant in bright indirect sunlight, water when the top two inches of soil are dry, and fertilize during the active growing season.

Philodendron Micans is an easy plant that looks incredible in the home. I really think everyone should have one, and they’re so easy to care for, so why not? Get one if you don’t have Philodendron Micans already.