Philodendron hederaceum‘Brasil’
The standard heartleaf philodendron is wizardly , but tot some vary slaked lime and Citrus limon coloring to the greenish foliage , and you ’ve got an extra special houseplant .
Since ‘ Brasil ’ hit the market a few decades ago , it has become a must - have philodendron , and it ’s not difficult to see why . This cultivar is sturdy , easygoing , and undeniably thoroughly - looking .
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New leaf emerging from a philodendron. Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
If you ’re quick to learn whereP. hederaceum‘Brasil ’ come from and how to crop your own , this guide can help .
Here ’s what ’s in the coming attractions :
What You’ll Learn
Let ’s start by talking about where this beloved cultivar came from :
Cultivation and History
Philodendron hederaceum‘Brasil ’ is a heart-leaf philodendron cultivar that stands out from the species plant with its stinker , lime , and dark green variegated foliage .
P. hederaceumused to be classified asP. scandens , so you might see it sold under that name .
The young stems and petioles emerge as a beautiful reddish - pink and geezerhood to reddish - orange before turning green with light green and sometimes yellow variegation when mature .
New leaf emerging from a philodendron. Photo by Kristine Lofgren.
It has a cascading , chase growth substance abuse and bond itself to supports via a twining increase habit and aerial roots .
The variegation is unstable , which means that no two leaves will look likewise , and sometimes leaves will be entirely yellow , light park , or green .
In the natural state in South America where the species grow indigenously , the plant life is a secondary hemiepiphyte .
It starts life in the soil and afterward attaches to a tree or shrub to access code loose , water supply , and nutrients . It ’s not a sponge ; it just uses the other works as a horde structure without hurting it .
It ’s all in the name . Philois Greek for love anddendronmeans tree . This philodendron is a tree diagram buff !
‘ Brasil ’ was patented in 2000 by Kerry ’s Bromeliad Nursery in Florida after a mutation was discovered by Ruben Ernesto Acosta in a nursery in Holambra , Brazil , in 1991 .
The mutation was further bred and stabilise before the glasshouse put out it to the market .
It rapidly caught the eye of houseplant lovers and has become extremely popular . And unspoiled news ! The patent expired in 2020 , so finger loose to propagate ‘ Brasil ’ at nursing home without fear of violating the patent .
pathetic ‘ Brasil ’ suffer from a case of mistaken identity . It ’s often confused with variegated pothos ( Epipremnum aureum ) cultivar .
you could tell the difference between philodendron ‘ Brasil ’ and variegate pothos by looking at unexampled leaf . On a philodendron , the leave emerge from waxy sheaths .
Foliage on a pothos emerges from inside another leaf . Even if your plant does n’t have any untested leaves , search for the mien of a sheath at the base of the petiole .
The leaves also have long peak – the pointy point – than pothos and the metal money .
When mature , ‘ Brasil ’ can get behind a dozen feet or more , though the vines typically produce about two human foot long in an indoor surroundings .
It ’s closely related toPhilodendron micans(syn . P. hederaceumvar . hederaceum ) , though it lacks the velvety texture and bronze food color of the foliage .
If you ’d like tolearn more about philodendrons and how to wish for them , read our comprehensive guide .
Philodendron ‘Brasil’ Propagation
circulate ‘ Brasil ’ is somewhat straight . It ’s especially leisurely to do via press cutting . As the plant becomes big , division is a secure option , as well . get ’s start with that :
From Division
A big , bushy philodendron is ripe for class . This process is best done in the spring or summer , but as with cutting , it can be done any prison term of year .
Remove the plant from its mass and brush away as much of the soil as you could . You really want to be able to see the roots clear .
endeavor to badger a section of root and stems asunder as cautiously as you may . If you need to , take a uncontaminating brace of trimmer or clippers and trim apart any stubborn roots .
Repot the original discussion section back in its container and fill in around the roots with fresh potting filth .
Pot the new division in a container with fresh potting grime .
From Cuttings
Philodendrons spread from cuttings promptly . you’re able to originate them in either water or a potting medium .
Look for a healthy stem and reduce off about four inches from the tip .
There should be at least two foliage nodes and bonus gunpoint if you also include an ethereal root node . node reckon like lilliputian brown hump on the stem .
Make your cut just underneath a folio or aerial ascendent client .
Remove all but the top leaf and put the excision end in water supply or pot spiritualist . If you use urine , supplant it every few daytime to deter pathogen .
If you use a pot spiritualist , keep it moist but not loaded . You want it to be the grain of a well - wrung - out sponge .
Keep the cuttings in a post with brilliant , indirect light and allow them to develop solution . This ordinarily takes a few weeks .
If you do n’t see new growing above the filth after a few weeks , gently dig out under the press cutting with your finger and lift the thinning out to see if it has rooted .
If you see lots of theme , you could go ahead and transplant your fresh plant . If not , replace it and wait a flake longer . As long as the cutting does n’t wilt or buy the farm , you’re able to safely keep wait .
The process take longer in the winter than the spring or summertime , but it will work any fourth dimension of year .
Potted Transplants
Most of us end up corrupt potted philodendron ‘ Brasil ’ plants at a nursery or planting a cut that we or someone we know has develop .
To transplant a potted specimen into a new container , softly take it from its pot and tease apart up the roots a bit . bet for any stagnant or broken roots and cut them off .
Set the ‘ Brasil ’ plant in a new container one size of it larger than the live container .
Add a thin layer of potting soil in the bottom of the pot before typeset the Modern works into the container , and then fill up in around it with fresh soil .
You want the flora to be sitting at the same superlative it was in its original container .
How to Grow Philodendron ‘Brasil’
First , let ’s talk about the foundation of any houseplant : the soil . Your ‘ Brasil ’ will be pretty forgiving , but it ’s always best to give it the optimal condition , if you’re able to .
Slightly acidulous to electroneutral soil that is water - retentive but airy and well - draining is ideal for philodendron . you may retrieve a lot of commercial potting mixes with this combination .
My personal favorite is Fox Farm Ocean Forest potting mix .
It ’s what I grow most of my houseplants in because it has a premix of earthworm castings , bat guano , Pisces the Fishes repast , humus , and peat moss that my plants seem to love .
FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Mix
you’re able to find a 12 - quart bagvia Amazonif you ’d like to try it .
Then there ’s the soil wet . stress to keep the land as moist as a well - wrung - out sponge but not surface-active agent .
The soil ’s surface can be reserve to dry out out , and your flora will be fine , but do n’t countenance the intact substratum to become juiceless .
Do n’t worry , a philodendron will signal to you that it need more moisture by drooping . seek to irrigate just before this happens .
Part of what nominate ‘ Federative Republic of Brazil ’ so special is the yellow , calcined lime , and green variegation on the foliage . The correct light exposure is a vital element in creating and maintaining that vividness .
If the flora is situated in a location that is too dark , the leave will retrovert to solid green or develop niggling variegation .
aspire for bright , indirect lighter all day or lineal morning Sunday observe by bright , collateral fire up the rest of the sidereal day . Afternoon lightness is too rough and will burn the foliage .
I bang it ’s confusing when gardeners talk about about shining , indirect light . What is that , exactly ? It ’s the sort of light you find within a foot or two of a south - face window that is covered in a sheer curtain .
High wakeful exposure might also cause the leaves to emerge as bright green with little or no diversification . This deficiency of diversification can also happen because the solid colouration is establish into the works ’s genetics . When this happens , it ’s call reversion .
If you do n’t wish the appearing , snip off the self-colored leaves and lose weight the short pic a small and wait a few month for new , variegated leaves to mould .
Do n’t expose this plant to temperatures below 59 ° farad . They are n’t even the least bit cold tolerant ( same , ‘ Brasil , ’ same ) .
I have sex you credibly keep your firm warmer than that , but if you put the plant next to a single - pane windowpane or a door and you exist in a region with frigid wintertime , it could damage your industrial plant .
find free to keep your philodendron alfresco when it ’s warm enough , but only those in zone 11 and 12 can leave them outside year - orotund .
Being lower-ranking hemiepiphyte , philodendrons favor to have something to go up up , but you could allow them to track out of a container if you choose .
If you go the climb route , they can scent up the rope of a hanging plantation owner , or you could guide on them up amoss perch .
talk of container , the size is important . Most aroids like their roots to be a footling snug and ‘ Brasil ’ is no dissimilar .
If the roots do n’t take up at least half the container , it ’s too braggart , and you increase the risk of overwatering .
Your container should also have drainage holes . I love a pretty decorative throne as much as the next person , but those should be used as your outer cachepot unless they have drainage .
Keep the plant in a raiser ’s can with drainage maw and place that inside the decorative pot .
When you irrigate , be sure to empty out the cachepot or saucer after about 30 minutes .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
If you like the look of your philodendron , find innocent not to rationalise it . ‘ Brasil ’ does n’t take veritable haircuts to bide healthy .
But if you see any dead , morbid , or deformed leaves or stems , get disembarrass of them . you could also cut back back to just in front of a leaf node if you want to encourage bushiness .
‘ Brasil ’ plants that are develop in low visible light incline to be leggy . Some judicious pruning can undo some of the leggy growth .
For more entropy , please record our usher to pruning philodendrons .
You should also repot your philodendron every so often as it grows . Once the beginning are coming out of the drain jam or are circling the margin of the pot , it ’s metre to advance the container .
If you are n’t sure , go ahead and stick your digit into the soil as deep as you could . If you ca n’t get in there very deep because you hit underground from the roots , that ’s a sure signaling it ’s fourth dimension .
To repot , remove the industrial plant from the existing toilet and brush away the grease from the root clod .
invest the industrial plant in a new container that is one size larger ( or more , if the plant life is highly potbound ) and fulfill in around the roots with fresh , new soil .
Where to Buy Philodendron ‘Brasil’
While it is n’t themostpopular philodendron out there , it ’s not far off . ‘ Brazil ’ is reasonably common , and you could happen it at most houseplant retailers .
I popped into three local houseplant sellers by my house , and all of them had one .
Philodendron ‘ Brasil ’
If you do n’t desire to shop around , you could easily find it online , too . American Plant Exchange has a lively plant in a six - inch potat Amazon .
OrHome Depot bear itin a small four - inch pot .
Managing Pests and Disease
This is a pretty robust cultivar , and you credibly wo n’t course into many issue unless your ‘ Brasil ’ is stressed .
Keep it feed , irrigate , and in the right light , and any problems will be rarified . Pests are the most common topic , so get ’s tattle about those first .
There are a few common houseplant pest that you ’ll see over and over on many species . These includeaphids , mealybugs , andscale .
All of these will attack ‘ Brazil , ’ specially one that is stressed .
Disease
When it comes to disease , bacterial foliage spot is n’t common , but it does show up from meter to time .
It ’s due to the bacteriaXanthomonas campestrispv.dieffenbachiaeand resultant role in water - soak spots with brown or yellow halo . As the spots maturate and grow , the heart rick tan .
There is n’t a cure , so snip off any symptomatic leaves and do n’t share puppet , grease , or containers between plant without clean them thoroughly first .
Best Uses for Philodendron ‘Brasil’
As a hang plant , ‘ Brazil ’ is hard to pound . It ’s beautiful when trained up walls or poles , or reserve to dog down shelves and bookcases .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Bring Beautiful ‘Brasil’ to Your Home
I have found that some of the more visually appealing houseplants out there tend to be some of the fussier ones .
I thinkAlocasiaspecies are beautiful , but they are n’t easy to raise . Philodendron ‘ Brasil ’ bucks the style . This tropical beauty is as easy to worry for as a cactus .
And if you stillwant to know more about philodendron in oecumenical , we recommend these guidebook next :
Photos by Kristine Lofgren © Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photos via American Plant Exchange and FoxFarm . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Kristine Lofgren
