Philodendron Pedatum Houseplant Care Guide

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Philodendron Pedatum was one of my very first houseplants and it’s a plant that has never given me any problems.

This plant is easygoing, resilient, and like most Philodendrons, doesn’t ask for much.

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

Water. Let the soil almost dry out before watering your Philodendron. I find that while these are tropical houseplants, they don’t need to be kept constantly moist at all times. If the soil is dry when you stick your finger 2 inches in, water your plant.
Light. Place your Philodendron Pedatum in bright indirect sunlight but also keep in mind this plant can tolerate lower light.
Fertilizer. Feed your Pedatum fertilizer regularly. You can choose to do this every watering, every other watering, or once a month. I feed every watering because it’s easy for me to remember and it doesn’t hurt my plants.
Humidity. Philodendrons are tropical houseplants that enjoy high humidity, but they thrive in regular household humidity so don’t worry about misting your plant.

Here’s what to know to care for Philodendron Pedatum.

Light

Philodendron Pedatum is an easy houseplant that thrives in many light conditions ranging from very bright indirect light to medium to low light.

Never place your Pedatum in direct sunlight as this will burn the foliage and kill your plant.

The best spot for this plant would be near a south, east, or west facing window. South facing rooms get the hottest, most intense heat of the day so it’s important to place a sheer curtain on this window if your plant is sitting next to it.

If you’re like most houseplant people, you’re running out of room in your house to place a new plant. Luckily the Philodendron Pedatum can grow in medium light like a north facing window that is just barely getting morning sun.

North facing windows get the lightest and coolest sunlight, which is the exact opposite of a south facing window that gets the hottest, brightest sunlight during the day.

Water

Philodendrons are resilient plants that can handle overwatering or underwatering more so than other types of plants.

This is why people love Philodendrons because they’re so hard to kill. If there’s one thing you take away from this post, it’s that it’s always better to underwater your plants than overwater your plants.

If you are a chronic overwaterer, well-draining, chunky soil becomes even more important to use for your houseplants.

A fool-proof way to check your soils moisture level is by sticking your index finger in the plant soil about 2 inches deep. If the soil is dry, it’s time for a water. If it’s wet, check the soil in a couple of days.

You can also use a moisture meter which I personally love using. You stick the moisture meter into the plant soil and it’ll tell you if it’s wet or dry. I like using a moisture meter because I check different parts of the soil without getting messy.

Soil

Philodendrons thrive in well-draining mix and don’t like to be kept in compact, dense soil.

This is because dense, compact dense leads to root rot much quicker if you’re an overwaterer. This is because there’s no room for oxygen to flow around the roots.

An easy well-draining soil for your Philodendrons is 50% coco coir, 25% perlite, and 25% orchid bark. You may even decide to sprinkle in some worm castings for natural fertilizer.

Temperature

Philodendron Pedatum live in temperatures around 75 degrees F.

Some people put this plant outside if they live in a year-round warm, tropical climate. However, someone like me would not dare put this plant outside since the humidity is 7% outside and we see 110 degree days.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer is crucial if you have houseplants because it keeps your plant thriving in your home environment.

In the wild, plants get fertilizer naturally through the elements but obviously that is not the case for inside your home.

You have several fertilizer options and can decide to go the all natural route or the synthetic route.

If going the synthetic fertilizer route, make sure to cut the fertilizer recipe in half.

For example, a synthetic fertilizer will have a very high NPK ratio of about 20-20-20. That’s a recipe you definitely want to dilute in half.

Natural fertilizers typically have a NPK ratio of 2-2-2- which is quite low and you don’t have to worry about diluting the recipe.

To keep things simple, I like to use a fertilizer I mix into my plants drinking water. Sometimes I also use a fertilizer that I sprinkle over the top of the plants soil that release nutrients into the soil every time I water.

Humidity

Philodendron Pedatum is a tropical houseplant that loves humidity, but doesn’t need it.

This plant acclimates to regular household humidity quite easily and even thrives in low humidity. For instance, my house typically stays in the 20% humidity range and my Philodendron Pedatum is constantly putting out new leaves.

If you decide you want to raise the humidity in your home to increase plant growth, here are my best tips.

Put a humidifier near your Philodendron Pedatum to increase humidity around the plant
Place your P. Pedatum on a pebble tray filled with water
Place plants together in a group which will create a microclimate and boost humidity
Put your P. Pedatum in a bathroom getting daily showers or baths.

Propagation

The easiest way to propagate Philodendron Pedatum is by cutting a stem with at least one node.

Place the node submerged under water and place this cutting in a spot getting some sunlight. In about three weeks you will notice roots growing.

Once the roots are at least three inches long, you can transfer the cutting into your preferred substrate.

There are many substrates to choose from and I actually use quite a few. You can choose from well-draining aroid mix, leca, lechuza pon, or simply keep the plant in water. I use all four of these substrates.

Philodendron Pedatum Common Questions

Is Philodendron Pedatum rare?

You probably won’t find Philodendron Pedatum in a big box store like Walmart of Lowes.

You may find this plant for sale at a local plant store, but they aren’t that common there either. I found my Pedatum in a local Facebook plant group.

How much is a Philodendron Pedatum?

Philodendron Pedatum are affordable. You can find a decent sized plant for under $25. A cutting typically goes for less than $10.

Is Philodendron Pedatum hard to care for?

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

This is a great beginner houseplant and resilient to pretty much anything. This plant doesn’t require high humidity and won’t die if you miss a watering.

How do you care for Philodendron Pedatum?

Philodendron Pedatum is one of the easiest houseplants to care for.

You can place this plant pretty much anywhere in your house, miss a watering, and give it 20% humidity and it’ll most likely stay alive and even thrive.

If you want your Philodendron Pedatum to thrive, place this plant in bright indirect sunlight. This would be a south, east, or west facing room. South facing rooms get the strongest, hottest sunlight of the day. North facing rooms get the lightest, weakest sunlight of the day.

Water your plant when the soil dries out two inches deep. For me, I water once a week and no more than that.

Is Philodendron Pedatum a fast grower?

Philodendron Pedatum is a medium grower in terms of speed. I’ve found it isn’t as fast as my other Philodendrons but it’s not the slowest either.

Philodendron Pedatum can grow outside if you live in a tropical climate.

You’ll be successful growing this plant outside if you like a year-round warm, high humidity area. If you live somewhere like me where it’s hot and dry, you will find that this plant will quickly die.

How big do Philodendron Pedatum get?

Philodendron Pedatum can get quite tall but it’s rare that you’ll find one taller than 3 feet in the home.

How do I make my Philodendron Pedatum bigger?

To encourage your Philodendron Pedatum to get larger, make sure the plant is sitting in bright indirect sunlight which would be something like a south, east, or west facing direction room. If placing right next to a window, make sure to place a sheer curtain so the plant never receives direct sunlight.

Regularly fertilizer your plant with a high quality fertilizer. I use Dyna-Gro and Liqui-Dirt and my plants love it. I fertilizer almost every watering.

Does Philodendron Pedatum climb?

Philodendron Pedatum are climbers which is why is why I recommend placing a support pole or trellis on the plant to encourage growth.

How do you propagate Philodendron Pedatum?

Take a stem cutting with a node on the stem and submerge the node under water and wait for roots. Once the roots reach a few inches long, you can transfer this cutting to your preferred substrate.

Is the Philodendron Pedatum toxic to pets?

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

Common pests

Philodendrons are some of the hardiest plants out there and are quite resistant to pest pressures.

I’ve never found bad bugs on any of my Philodendrons and plan to keep it that way. I am consistent with pest preventive which is why I never have pest pressures.

To prevent pests, you have several options.

Bonide Systemic Granules are popular. Sprinkle it into the soil or on top of the soil. This is a quick fungus gnat killer and one of the best ways to get rid of those annoying pests.

I also use Azamax for pest preventative. It’s a natural pest killer. I Mix 1 tablespoon into 1 gallon of water and use this as my plants drinking water.

Common issues

Brown tips: If your Philodendron Pedatum has brown tips, this may mean you are over fertilizing your plant. Dilute fertilizer recipes in half if using a synthetic fertilizer. How do you know if your fertilizer is synthetic? You may see an NPK ratio of 20-20-20 which is very high. For example, natural fertilizers are often in the 2-2-2 range.

Curly leaves: If your Philodendron Pedatum has curly leaves, this may mean your plant is thirsty and needs a more consistent, thorough watering. Use a moisture meter or your pointy finger to check your plants soil.

Yellowing leaves: If your Philodendron Pedatum has yellowing leaves, this may mean your plant is getting overwatered. Only water the plant when the soil is almost dried out completely.

Key Points To Remember

Philodendron Pedatum is one of the easiest Philodendrons to care for.

They grow quickly and thrive in a variety of growing conditions. Place your plant in bright indirect sunlight, fertilize regularly with a high quality fertilizer, and water thoroughly when the soil is dry.

This plant is perfect for anyone who thinks they don’t have a green thumb.