NOTE: Heart-leaf philodendron may be referred to as Philodendron hederaceum in this article, in fact, those are the same plants, Philodendron hederaceum is the botanical name for Heart-leaf philodendron.
The heart-leaf philodendron, also known as the sweetheart plant, is native to tropical regions of South and Central America and the West Indies. It is a popular houseplant that is easy to care for. The leaves are dark green but bronze-colored when they first emerge, giving this plant plenty of visual interest. Small greenish-white flowers are sometimes produced by a mature plant.
Why does my Philodendron hederaceum roots have rot?
Root rot on your Heart-leaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) can be fatal if not treated with care. For this reason, we strongly recommend that you follow our guide to keep your plant alive if the symptoms occur: Root soft and blackened.
Why does my Heart-leaf philodendron have gray mold spots?
A particular fungus that frequently affects flowers and spreads quickly is known as gray mold spots. This fungus is most likely to blame if you see any brown (or gray) spots. Don’t ignore these signs because doing so could cause your plant to die.
Our Solution
The solution is quite logical when you know the cause of the problem. Most of the time, it is due to overwater of the Philodendron hederaceum. We advise you to remove the infected parts of the plant, cut off the infected roots and leaves, then repot your plant using sterile potting soil and a clean pot.
Why does my Heart-leaf philodendron have leaf spots?
If your plants exhibit symptoms like rapid color changes in the leaves or leaves that wilt or droop, we give you all the information you need to recognize them and rescue your plants. For owners of Heart-leaf philodendron, this kind of illness is among the most distressing.
Why are my Heart-leaf philodendron leaves turning yellow?
This is probably the most common problem in the gardening world, yellowing leaves. There are 2 main reasons for this phenomenon, overwatering, or a lack of nutrients.
Whether you think your plants are getting too much water, cut back on how often you water them, and take the following measures to see if they might be nutritionally deficient:
Each deficiency produces a different yellowing on the Philodendron hederaceum in question, here’s how to spot them:
- Magnesium deficiency starts as yellow patches between leaf veins on older leaves. Veins stay green as yellow moves from the leaf center out. Leaf edges turn yellow last.
- Another indicator of iron deficiency is yellowing between leaf veins, but young leaves on plant tops and branch tips are first affected.
- The newest leaves are first affected by sulfur deficiency, rendering them completely yellow.
- Insufficient potassium causes the leaf edges to turn brilliant yellow while the interior of the leaf stays green. Older leaves show the symptoms initially, and the leaf edges quickly darken.
- A lack of nitrogen is indicated by a widespread yellowing. Older, inner leaves are the first to yellow. As the yellowing progresses, it eventually touches young leaves as well.
Our Solution
According to the symptoms mentioned above, you just have to act accordingly. You can reduce your watering frequency, or fix a deficiency in Potassium, or Nitrogen, for that, you just have to buy a special soil for your deficiency, a consultant in a gardening store will know perfectly well how to inform you.
Is my Heart-leaf philodendron sunburned?
You can easily tell if your Heart-leaf philodendron (your Philodendron hederaceum) has a sunburn. In this case, your plant will change color, starting to turn yellow or white, much like it does on us.
As we saw above, if your Heart-leaf philodendron receives too much water or not enough light, the leaves may also change color.
The bottom of the yellow leaves with a shaded area closer to the base can be examined to determine if they have been sunburned. If this part remains greener, the yellow leaf is most likely sunburned and not something else.
Why are my Heart-leaf philodendron leaves turning brown?
Most of the time, leaves of a Heart-leaf philodendron that turn brown is a sign that your plant has been sunburned, it has probably been exposed to too much direct sunlight. Don’t panic, your plant probably won’t die from this, but its growth will take a hit.
Should I leave my Philodendron hederaceum in direct sunlight?
No! Don’t leave your Philodendron hederaceum (or Heart-leaf philodendron) in the sun if it displays the symptoms mentioned above; that’s why it’s in such a bad situation.
Our Solution
The remedy, as said in the paragraph above, is simple: just move your plant’s Heart-leaf philodendron out of direct sunlight. Your plant should swiftly re-grow with this strategy and appropriate watering.
Why are my Philodendron hederaceum leaves drooping or wilting ?
In most cases, this happens when your Philodendron hederaceum lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.
You may quickly determine if your Philodendron hederaceum plant needs water by under-weighing its pot; if it seems light, the soil and roots are probably fairly dry and require water.
Our Solution
If the soil in your plant’s pot is completely dry, you will need to start by moistening it so that the roots will also benefit from the water. A common mistake is to drown the Heart-leaf philodendron right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.
This is true, but the easiest way to end it is to give too much water at once. Instead, you should water the soil properly, returning to a peaceful watering rhythm.
Caring Tips for Philodendron hederaceum
Water Occasionally
Your plant needs water to survive, but it’s crucial to balance the amount and timing of watering. As we previously mentioned, overwatering could be catastrophic for your Philodendron hederaceum.
You can tell if your plant needs water by touching the soil; if it still feels damp, it’s usually preferable to wait a few more days.
Always keep temperatures stable
Maintaining a consistent temperature for your Philodendron hederaceum is also a good idea, especially if it is kept indoors. At GreenShack, we typically advise reserving a temperature between 65 and 85 degrees F. Of course, avoid positioning your Philodendron hederaceum close to air conditioners, radiators, or other sources of hot or cold air.
Keep your Heart-leaf philodendron Dust-Free
This one concerns indoor plants, just like on your furniture, dust is also deposited on the leaves of your indoor plants, the problem is that it can prevent them from receiving the necessary light, this would slow down (or even stop) the photosynthesis process, and eventually, they would lose their colors.
For your Heart-leaf philodendron, this would be a true descent into hell, and it would also appease the pests.
Take a microfiber cloth and gently massage the plant’s leaves to get rid of the dust. Use a damp cloth to make dust removal easier, but avoid using corrosive materials like rubbing alcohol!
Keep drainage in mind
If you have a tendency to overwater, you should be mindful of your drainage, and if they don’t already have them, we suggest selecting a saucer and a pot with drainage holes.
You can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the interim if your pots don’t already have holes in them. This will help to form a channel so that the water doesn’t pool there for too long (preventing the rot of the roots!).
