Philodendron microstictum care

Philodendron microstictum leaves are dark green, semiglossy, somewhat pruinose on the upper surface, lower surface glossy to weakly glossy, paler...

 Philodendron microstictum is a species of the genus Philodendron. This species was described by Paul Carpenter Standley and Louis Otho Otto Williams in 1952.

DESCRIPTION OF PHILODENDRON MICROSTICTUM

 Philodendron microstictum is native to Costa Rica. It is found growing in wetter parts of tropical moist forest, tropical wet forest, and tropical wet forest basal belt transition life zones in Costa Rica, where it is restricted to the Pacific slope.

© Reinaldo Aguilar | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

 It is an evergreen hemiepiphytic vine with scandent, green to gray-green stem and semiglossy, 6-12 cm long, moderately green ineternodes. The leaves are broadly ovate, moderately coriaceous, abruptly acuminate at apex, weakly subcordate at base, 12.5-30 cm long by 13-21.5 cm wide, upper surface dark green, semiglossy, somewhat pruinose, lower surface glossy to weakly glossy, paler. The leaves are held on the 12-24 cm long, subterete to broader than thick to broadly D-shaped, pale or dark green streaked and demarcated from blade by dark green ring around apex.

 This species blooms in dry season and early rainy season from the spreading inflorescene (1 per axil). The inflorescences are formed by e 6.5-15 cm long, green outside, pale green inside and sessile, 8 cm long spadix and are held on the 14-25 cm long, subterete, green peduncle. The spathe tube is green outside, red or violet-purple inside. All parts of plant contain calcium oxalate crystals, an irritant to the mouth and esophagus.

PHILODENDRON MICROSTICTUM CARE AND CULTURE

 Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.

Light:

 Philodendron microstictum grows best in bright and indirect sunlight. Exposure to the sunlight can causes a yellowish color in the leaves or a sunburn spot. Too little light can result in leggy growth with lots of space in between the leaves. Artificial light gives best results if natural light is not present. They can be very vigorous growers and need support to keep the stems from breaking. Provide a tree bark or strong, moss-covered support sunk into the pot for the aerial roots to attach to. Sphagnum moss wrapped around a wooden slat, secured with monofilament fishing line or nylon thread, will work well.

 Rotate your plant periodically to ensure even growth on all sides and dust the leaves often so the plant can photosynthesize efficiently. When dusting the leaves, also take the opportunity to inspect the undersides and keep an eye out for pests.

© Nature's Assets

Temperature:

 The plant grows well in normal to warm indoor temperatures 24-27ºC (75-80ºF). They cannot tolerate temperatures which drop below about 13ºC (55ºF). In mild, frost-free climates, the plant can be grown outside in shady spots. If grown outside, night temperatures down to around 15°C and day temperatures around 30°C are ideal.

Substrate and growing media:

 Philodendron microstictum grows best in loose, well-drained soil which is rich high in organic matter. It also be grow in 100% sphagnum peat moss and mixtures such as peat-vermiculite or peat-perlite.

 The plants benefit from repotting to a larger container when they become root bound and outgrow the original pot. A combination of half soil-based potting mixture and half leaf mould or coarse peat moss is used.

 Move the plant into container one size larger only when their roots have completely filed the current one. This is done at any time of year except during the short rest period. After the long rest period the convenient pot size has been reach (probably about 25-30cm (10-12 inch)), an annual spring top-dressing with fresh potting mixture will help to keep the plat healthy. A container with drainage holes to prevent root rot is used. A cachepot is used if a decorative container is without drainage. It is necessary to cover the bottom of a cachepot with pebbles so as to keep the plant above the drainage water.

Watering:

 The vital factors in keeping the plant growing evenly with large, uniform leaves is plentiful of water. Keep the potting mix consistently moist, but not wet. Make sure all excess water drains, since sitting in water or overwatering can cause root injury, which will cause leaves to turn yellow and drop. If this happens, reduce watering to prevent root rot. Plants kept on the dry side will have slower growth. Water less in winter. A high-humidity environment should be maintained with a pebble tray or by grouping plants will encourage larger leaves. The leaf edges will turn brown if humidity is too low.

Fertilizer:

 Philodendron microstictum are considered heavy feeders. Regular feeding program with a nitrogen fertilizer will increase leaf size and produces a larger, healthier plant. Throughout the months while the plant is actively growing (from spring until fall) apply standard liquid fertiliser once every two weeks. It's a nice strategy to fertilize more frequently at half strength than to apply one strong dose. Plants which mainly grows in low-light conditions require less fertilization than actively-growing plants. Moist soil requires fertilizers to avoid injury to plant roots.

© Reinaldo Aguilar

Pruning:

 Use a sharp pruners or scissors to control the size and shape of the plant. You can remove entire leaves by cutting them off at the base of the leaf stem. You can also remove the lower leaves if you want to reveal the plant's stem. Always wear gloves when pruning and wash your hands and tools when finished. You don't want to get the sap in your eyes or mouth.

Pests and diseases:

 No serious insect or disease problems is however reported. Watch for aphids, spider mites, mealy bugs and scale. Leaf spots may occur. Root rot can occur in overly moist soils. Small leaves or long spaces between leaves show that the plant need enough light to grow.

Propagation:

 Cutting and layering are popular methods of Philodendron microstictum propagation. Try propagating them during the growing season. A small brown nubs are formed where the leaves meet the stem. These nubs, when in contact with soil or water, will grow roots. There are many ways to propagate this plant, the easiest being to cut a branch just below a root-nub and place it in water with a few pieces of horticultural charcoal to reduce the likelihood of rot. As soon the growth of new leaf takes place it is potted in the rich soil. Similarly it can also be propagated within its own pot by pinning vines at the root-nub to the soil with hairpins or bent wire. The root nub in contact with the soil will sprout new roots in a very short time. When the different parts of Philodendron species are rooted, the plant will greatly profited from misting several times a day.

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