Philodendron: Diseases and Remedies (Philodendronspp.)

NOTE: The terms Philodendron and Philodendronspp. are identical in this text; in reality, Philodendronspp. is Philodendron’s biological word.

There are hundreds of species of beautiful foliage plants in the Philodendron genus. philodendrons are great for adding a bit of their native tropical flair to your home, and there are two types of philodendrons to choose from. The vining varieties grow several feet and usually require some support structure to climb on. Plants that grow upright are excellent for containers. The philodendrons have a fast growth rate.

WARNING: Keep in mind that Philodendronspp. (also Philodendron) is toxic to Humans and Pets.

Why does my Philodendronspp. roots have rot?

Root rot on your Philodendron (Philodendronspp.) 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.
Philodendron

Why does my 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 answer is obvious once you recognize the cause of the problem. Most frequently, it results from the Philodendronspp. being overwatered. We strongly advise you to remove the damaged plant parts, cut off the diseased roots and leaves, and then repot your plant in a new container with sterile potting soil.

Why does my Philodendron have leaf spots?

Leaf This type of disease is one of the most frustrating for Philodendron owners, we give you all the leads to spot and save your plants that present symptoms such as leaves that suddenly change color, or wilt/droop.

Why are my 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.

Reduce your watering frequency when you fear your plants are being overwatered, and follow these steps to determine whether they may be lacking in nutrients:

Here are some signs of yellowing caused by the many deficiencies on the Philodendronspp. in question:

  • 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.
  • Iron deficiency also shows as yellowing between leaf veins, but it hits young leaves on plant tops and branch tips first.
  • Sulfur shortage first affects the youngest leaves, turning them entirely yellow.
  • Leaf edges turning bright yellow but inside leaf remaining green are signs of potassium insufficiency. The symptoms first appear on older leaves, and the leaf edges quickly become dark.
  • Nitrogen deficiency shows up as a general yellowing. Older, inner leaves turn yellow first. As it progresses, yellowing moves outward, eventually reaching young leaves, too.

Our Solution

You only need to respond to the signs mentioned above. A gardening store expert will be able to provide you advice on how to purchase a specific soil to treat a potassium or nitrogen deficiency. Additionally, you can reduce how often you water your plants.

Is my Philodendron sunburned?

It is quite easy to find out if your Philodendron (Philodendronspp.) has been burned by the sun. Just like on us, your plant will change color in this case, it will start to turn yellow or white.

Sunburned

As we saw above, the leaves of your Philodendron can also change color if it receives too much water or insufficient light.

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 Philodendron leaves turning brown?

The classic sign that a plant has been overexposed to direct sunlight and sunburned is the development of browning leaves. Rest assured that while this may probably save your plant from dying, it will adversely affect its growth.

Should I leave my Philodendronspp. in direct sunlight?

No! If your Philodendronspp. (or Philodendron) has the symptoms described above, don’t leave it in direct sunlight, that’s the reason why your Philodendron is in such a state!

Our Solution

As explained in the paragraph above, the solution is simple, just place your Philodendron in a place where the light does not reach it directly, in this way and with a correct watering, your plant should resume its life rather quickly.

Why are my Philodendronspp. leaves drooping or wilting ?

In most cases, this happens when your Philodendronspp. lacks water. This is especially the case for large plants, naturally they need more water than others.

Drooping

You may quickly determine if your Philodendronspp. 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 Philodendron right after a dry period thinking that it needs a lot of water.

This is the case, but giving too much water at once is the best way to finish it off, you should actually water the soil normally, resuming a quiet watering rhythm.

Caring Tips for Philodendronspp.

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 Philodendronspp..

The best way to know if your plant needs water or not is to touch the soil, if you feel it is still wet, it is probably a good idea to wait a few more days.

Always keep temperatures stable

It is also a good idea to keep your Philodendronspp. at a stable temperature (especially if it is kept indoors!). At GreenShack, we generally recommend staying in the 65 and 85 degrees F range. Of course, do not place your Philodendronspp. near a source of hot (or cold) air such as A/C units, radiators or the like.

Keep your 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 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.

If your pots don’t already have holes in them, you can add volcanic rocks (or any other pebbles with holes) to the bottom of your pot in the meantime. This will assist in creating a channel and keep the water from pooling there for an extended period of time, protecting the roots from decay.