Philodendron Varieties

Home / Guides

Trailing and climbing philodendrons

Heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)

The classic philodendron: heart-shaped, dark green, slightly matte leaves on long trailing vines. New leaves emerge bronze-green and mature to deep green. It is one of the most beginner-friendly houseplants available, tolerating low to bright indirect light, inconsistent watering, and general neglect better than almost any other trailing plant. Fast-growing, easy to propagate, and widely available.

Despite its resemblance to pothos, heartleaf philodendron has noticeably thinner, softer leaves and a different leaf shape (longer and more pointed at the tip). Care is nearly identical to pothos, though heartleaf tolerates lower light slightly better.

Philodendron Brasil

Brasil is a variegated cultivar of heartleaf philodendron, with bright yellow-green and lime variegation splashed through dark green leaves. The variegation is vivid and consistent enough to be striking at a distance. It grows at a similar pace to standard heartleaf and is nearly as easy, though it needs brighter light than the all-green form to maintain its variegation.

One of the best variegated trailing plants for beginners: colorful, fast-growing, tolerant, and inexpensive. The yellow patches can revert to green in low light; give it a window with good indirect light and the variegation stays vivid.

Philodendron micans

Micans (Philodendron hederaceum 'Micans') has velvety, iridescent leaves that shift from bronze to deep forest green as they mature, with a subtle shimmer that catches light differently from every angle. The trailing vines are elegant and the textured leaves are unlike any other common houseplant.

Care is essentially the same as heartleaf philodendron, though micans benefits from slightly better humidity to keep its velvety texture at its best. It is less common than Brasil but available at most plant shops.

Philodendron gloriosum

Gloriosum is a terrestrial (ground-growing, not climbing) philodendron with enormous, heart-shaped, velvety dark green leaves and striking white veins. It crawls rather than climbs, sending a thick rhizome horizontally across the soil surface as it produces each new leaf. Leaves can eventually reach 2 to 3 feet across in ideal conditions.

It is slower-growing and more sensitive to cold and overwatering than trailing types, and commands a premium price. Give it bright indirect light, well-draining soil, and consistent moisture without waterlogging.

Philodendron melanochrysum (Black Gold)

One of the most dramatic climbers in the philodendron genus. Young leaves are dark bronze or copper; mature leaves turn very dark, almost black-green with a velvety sheen and pale veins. The leaves elongate as they mature, eventually reaching impressive sizes when the plant is given a support to climb.

Melanochrysum needs bright indirect light, high humidity (60 percent or above is ideal), and careful watering. It is more demanding than the common trailing types and tends to be expensive. Providing a moss pole or similar support that stays moist gives it something to aerial-root into and dramatically accelerates growth.

Self-heading and upright philodendrons

Philodendron selloum / Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum

Often sold as "tree philodendron" or "lacy tree philodendron," this species produces massive, deeply lobed, ruffled leaves on thick stems from a central base. It does not trail or climb; it expands outward and upward, eventually reaching several feet across. Given space and good indirect light, it is one of the most dramatic large indoor plants available.

Note that the plant has been reclassified to Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum but is still widely sold under the philodendron name. Care: medium to bright indirect light, moderate watering, does not need high humidity.

Philodendron Xanadu (Thaumatophyllum xanadu)

Xanadu is a compact, self-heading philodendron with deeply lobed, glossy green leaves that fan out from a dense central crown. Unlike selloum, Xanadu stays relatively compact (2 to 4 feet wide and tall) and suits smaller spaces well. The lobed leaves look dramatic without the footprint of a full selloum.

Xanadu prefers medium to bright indirect light and moderate watering. It is more tolerant of dry conditions than trailing types. An excellent choice for a living room floor plant where you want something architectural without something enormous.

Philodendron birkin

Birkin is a compact, upright philodendron with dark green leaves etched with fine white or cream pinstripe variegation. The pattern is detailed and structured, quite different from the paint-splash variegation of Brasil. New leaves often emerge all-white or mostly white before the green deepens and the pin stripes emerge.

It needs medium to bright indirect light to maintain its white striping. In low light, new leaves may emerge mostly green. Growth is slower than trailing types. One quirk: birkin sometimes produces leaves that revert to solid red or green, resembling its parent cultivar (Philodendron erubescens). This is normal and usually corrects itself with better light.

Philodendron erubescens and Pink Princess

Philodendron erubescens is an upright climber with elongated, arrow-shaped leaves with a reddish underside on new growth. Pink Princess (P. erubescens 'Pink Princess') is a cultivar that has taken the plant world by storm: its leaves display irregular blotches of bubblegum pink and white against dark green or near-black, creating some of the most dramatic foliage of any common houseplant.

Pink Princess needs bright indirect light to produce and maintain its pink variegation. In low light, leaves come in mostly green. It grows slowly and has historically been expensive, though prices have moderated as tissue culture propagation has made it more available. Pink sections of the leaf lack chlorophyll and are more sensitive to sunburn than the green portions; avoid direct harsh sun on the leaves.

Philodendron golden goddess (Malay Gold)

Golden goddess has vivid lime-yellow leaves that become more golden in brighter light and stay a softer chartreuse in lower light. It is a climbing variety that grows quickly and pairs well with a moss pole or coco coir support. The intense color is unusual in the philodendron family, which tends toward greens and variegated whites.

Care is easy: similar to heartleaf philodendron, tolerates moderate light, standard watering. Color is most vivid with better indirect light.

Care shared across all philodendrons

Despite their visual diversity, philodendrons share broadly similar care requirements:

• Light: Most prefer bright indirect light. Trailing types (heartleaf, micans) tolerate lower light. Variegated types (Brasil, birkin, Pink Princess) need better light to hold their color.
• Water: Water when the top inch of soil is dry. Never let them sit in water; root rot is a risk across all varieties.
• Humidity: Most appreciate humidity above 50 percent. Velvet-leaf types (micans, gloriosum, melanochrysum) want higher humidity.
• Toxicity: All philodendrons contain calcium oxalate crystals and are toxic to cats, dogs, and humans. Keep out of reach of pets and children.