Philodendron Verrucosum Complete Plant Care Guide

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Philodendron Verrucosum are unique looking plants that stand out from other Philodendrons. The leaves are incredibly velvety and green.

Philodendron Verrucosum main care directions.

Water. Philodendron Verrucosums should have moist soil, but never have your plant sitting in water. Too much water can lead to root rot. Do not let the soil dry out.
Light. Verrucosums love bright indirect sunlight but can also tolerate lower light. Do not place this plant in direct sunlight as the leaves can easily burn.
Fertilizer. Fertilize your plant during the active growing season (spring-summer) with a diluted non-organic 20-20-20 fertilizer. If using an organic fertilizer like a 2-2-2, you don’t have to worry about diluting the fertilizer.
Humidity. Philodendron Verrucosums need humidity, it is a requirement. Keep your plant in at least 60% humidity.

Now let’s dig a little deeper so you know how to make sure your plant not only survives but thrives in its new home.

Light

Philodendron Verrucosum’s thrive and grow in bright indirect sunlight conditions. This plant can also be grown under plant grow lights like Barrina T5 lights, which is what I personally use for my Ikea greenhouse cabinet and plant room.

I currently have my Philodendron Verrucosum in a plant room that gets 60%+ humidity with a southern sun exposure. I made the mistake of placing the plant about 6 feet away getting direct sunlight which burnt some of the leaf, so make sure to place your plant far away from the window if the window gets bright southern exposure.

All plants need light from either sunlight or grow lights. Plus, plants grow a lot quicker and fuller when they receive adequate sunlight.

Water

One of the most important care tasks of this plant is watering. Philodendron Verrucosum soil should stay moist and never fully dried out.

If you need help figuring out when your plant needs water, invest in an affordable moisture meter which can easily check if your plant needs water or not. This handy tool is easy to use. All you do is stick the moisture meter into the soil and the tool will let you know if the soil is dry, moist, or wet.

It’s crucial that you do not let your Philodendron Verrucosum dry out. The soil needs to stay on the moist side or else your plant will suffer.

Soil

Philodendron Verrucosum need well-draining aroid soil but you want the soil to be able to retain moisture. An easy soil recipe is 50% soil, 25% perlite and 25% orchid bark.

If you don’t want to make your own mix, you can use pre-made potting mix. Fox Farm Ocean Forest is a high quality blend of ingredients perfect for houseplants. If you want to create an even chunkier mix for your potting mix, add some perlite.

Whatever potting mix you use, it’s important that the mix is well-aerated and not compact or dense. The purpose of chunky soil is to allow oxygen to flow around the roots of the plant.

If you ever have troubles with root rot, its most likely due to your soil being too compact or watering too often.

Temperature

Philodendron Verrucosum’s thrive in homes with temperatures of 60°F to 80°F (15°C to 26°C). Do not place this plant in cold drafts or near doors.

Fertilizer

Fertilize your Philodendron Verrucosum when the plant is actively growing. For me, it’s almost year round since I live in a place that doesn’t really experience winter. I currently fertilize my plants using Dyna Grow 9-3-6.

You can also fertilize your plants using a slow release granule fertilizer like Earth Medicine’s organic microbial fertilizer or an organic or synthetic fertilizer.

If you are using a non-organic also known as a synthetic fertilizer, it’s recommended to dilute the recipe in half because of how strong the N-P-K ratios are. If you are using an organic fertilizer, you typically do not have to worry about diluting the recipe because the N-P-K ratio is so low.

Humidity

Philodendron Verrucosum’s thrive on high humidity. If your home is dry (under 30% humidity), and you don’t have some type of greenhouse whether it be outside or a DIY Ikea cabinet, I would not recommend this plant.

This plant is the sole reason I even invested in a DIY Ikea cabinet because of how it thrives on high humidity that even my plant room wasn’t giving it enough.

Here are the best tips to raise the humidity in your home:

Put high humidity plants together in a group. When you group high humidity plants around each other, this creates a humid microclimate. The plants will continue to release moisture around each other through transpiration.
Place your plant in a bathroom that gets daily high humidity.
Place a pebble tray underneath your high humidity plants. I purchased small rocks at a hardware store and placed them on a planter tray. Place your planter on the tray. Put enough water in the tray until it hits the planter bottom and the water will evaporate around the plant.
Get a high-quality humidifier and run it daily near your houseplants.
Invest in a DIY Ikea cabinet. Join the IKEA Greenhouse Club to learn how to set up your Ikea greenhouse.
Place high-humidity plants in your bathroom. I place certain high humidity plants in my shower and they’re thriving.

Use a hygrometer to check the humidity around your plants.

Propagation

Propagating a Philodendron Verrucosum is similar to other plants. Verrucosum’s have nodes.

Cut a 45 degree angle under a node and place the stem cutting in clean filtered water. The stem cutting should root in about one month.

Common Questions

Are Philodendron Verrucosum rare?

You won’t find a Philodendron Verrucosum in a big box plant store like Walmart or Lowe’s. It’s even quite rare to find this in plant shops. I found my Verrucosum at a rare plant shop and it was the only one of its kind there.

How much is a Philodendron Verrucosum?

A Philodendron Verrucosum with 1 medium sized leave starts at about $45. For full transparency, I bought the plant pictured above for $45.

How do you care for Philodendron Verrucosum?

To make sure your Philodendron Verrucosum thrives, place it in bright indirect sunlight or in a DIY Ikea greenhouse cabinet. The most important thing this plant needs in order to thrive is humidity.

This plant needs at least 60% humidity and would be much happier at around 80% humidity. Fertilize your plant in the active growing months (new leaves are growing) and pause fertilization when you do not see any active growth.

Are Philodendron Verrucosum fast growers?

Philodendron Verrucosum’s (in my opinion) aren’t the fastest growers compared to other Philodendrons.

If you give your plant adequate sunlight, water, fertilizer, and humidity, your Philodendron Verrucosum will thrive and grow at the fastest pace it can.

Do Philodendron Verrucosum’s climb?

Philodendron Verrucosum love to climb which is why a moss pole is beneficial for this plant.

Is Philodendron Verrucosum easy to care for?

Philodendron Verrucosum’s are known to be a little fussy and not the easiest Philodendron to care for. These plants absolutely need high humidity and will suffer if living below 60%.

Ideally, this plant needs at least 80% humidity and would benefit from living in some type of greenhouse environment.

Are Philodendron Verrucosum’s poisonous?

Yes, this plant is toxic to both animals and humans.

Why is my Philodendron Verrucosum yellow?

Philodendron Verrucosum’s may have yellowing leaves if they are getting either under or overwatered.

Why is my Philodendron Verrucosum leaves curling?

If you notice your Verrucosum leaves are curling, this can be a sign of dry or cold air flow. This is also commonly a sign of lack of humidity. Make sure your plant is sitting in a spot away from drafts and is getting at least 60% humidity at all times.

Is the Philodendron Verrucosum toxic to pets?

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

Common pests

Philodendron Verrucosum are notorious for getting spider mites. This plant can also get mealy bugs, scale, and aphids. These pests can hurt your plant which is why prevention is key.

To help prevent any pest infestations on your plant, here’s what to do.

If possible, inspect your plant before purchasing at the plant store. If you’re buying a plant online, inspect your plant away from your other plants.
Regularly check your plants for pests. This is also a great time to clean your plants.
Cut off dead leaves.

If you find a plant that has pests on it, quarantine the plant away from your houseplants and clean the plant with an organic or nonorganic insecticide. I use Bonide Systemic on my plants as a preventative and Captain Jacks to kill pests.

I spray the plant and wipe down the leaves and stems twice a week for a month until I know the infestation is gone. Make sure to check all of your other plants as it is easy for pests to spread.

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

Common issues

Brown spots: If your Philodendron Verrucosum has brown spots, this may be due to the plant getting burned from sunlight or artificial light. Move your plant away from getting bright direct sunlight.

Yellowing leaves: If your Philodendron Verrucosum has yellow leaves, this can be due to overwatering or the soil sitting in water. Make sure to keep your plant soil but not drenched in water.

Curly leaves: If your Philodendron Verrucosum has curling leaves, this can mean the plant needs more water. Make sure to keep your plants soil moist at all times.

Key Points To Remember

Philodendron Verrucosum’s thrive in well draining moist soil near bright indirect sunlight. When this plant gets adequate sunlight and humidity, it’ll grow faster.

This plant loves humidity and absolutely needs it so placing it in an area that gets around 80% humidity is ideal.