Plant Care Philodendron Scandens

Philodendron Scandens

4.8 out of 5 (548 experiences)

Philodendron Scandens has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower
Philodendron Scandens has a Survivor plant personality Survivor

About Philodendron Scandens

One of the most common houseplants, the heartleaf Philodendron, gets its name from the Greek words meaning tree-loving. These vining plants can be found climbing trees all across their native range of South America and the Caribbean and in the homes of plant lovers worldwide. 🌳

Philodendrons grow aerial roots that grip the bark of trees, allowing them to grow over 20 feet tall! Their heart-shaped leaves change shape as they climb and can grow larger than a dinner plate. Fossils show Philodendrons growing as far back as 30 million years ago when South America was still connected to Antarctica! ❄️

Taxonomy

Philodendron hederaceum
Philodendron
Araceae
Alismatales

Also known as

Heartleaf Philodendron

How to care for Philodendron Scandens

💦 Water

How often to water your Philodendron Scandens

Water needs for Philodendron Scandens
0.5 cups
every 9

Philodendron Scandens needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Philodendron Scandens

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Heartleaf Philodendron in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Philodendron Scandens: 6ft from a window
6ft or less from
a window

Philodendron Scandens can tolerate being far from a window and light source.

Place it less than 6 feet from a south-facing window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Philodendron Scandens in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Philodendron Scandens

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Philodendron Scandens: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Philodendron Scandens after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Philodendron
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Philodendron Scandens is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

Benefits of Growing Heartleaf Philodendron →

Common Heartleaf Philodendron Problems →


💦 Water Needs

Philodendron Scandens prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Heartleaf Philodendron Water Frequency →

Heartleaf Philodendron Root Rot →


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Philodendron Scandens can tolerate being far from a window and light source. Place it less than 6 feet from a south-facing window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Heartleaf Philodendron Light Requirements →

Heartleaf Philodendron Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Philodendron Scandens is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.

Heartleaf Philodendron Toxicity to Dogs →

Heartleaf Philodendron Toxicity to Humans →


💨 Humidity

Philodendron Scandens prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.

Heartleaf Philodendron Humidity Needs →


🪴 Soil

Philodendron Scandens does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

When and How to Successfully Repot Heartleaf Philodendron →


💩 Fertilizer

Philodendron Scandens should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Heartleaf Philodendron →


❄️ Dormancy

Philodendron Scandens does not have a typical pattern of dormancy. If you notice their growth slowing down substantially, double check that they are getting enough sunlight and water to thrive!


🌎 Native Region

Philodendron Scandens is native to Central, South America, and the Caribbean.


🌸 Flowers

Philodendron Scandens produces flowers in the wild, but does not flower when kept as houseplants.

Heartleaf Philodendron Flowers →


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Philodendron Scandens is a naturally climbing plant and can be trained to climb indoors if you provide a moss pole or trellis. The newest growth will emerge from the end of the stems.

How and When to Prune Heartleaf Philodendron →


🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Philodendron Scandens can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-12a. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Heartleaf Philodendron Temperature Tolerance →


🌱 Propagation

Philodendron Scandens can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

  • Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
  • To get the cutting to root, you can either:
    • Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Philodendron Scandens, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


Care Summary for Philodendron Scandens

Philodendron Scandens

Philodendron Scandens


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 6ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Philodendron Scandens has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 362
Philodendron Scandens has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 309
Philodendron Scandens has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 262
Philodendron Scandens has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 233
Philodendron Scandens has a Browns easily plant personality Browns easily 40
Philodendron Scandens has a Blooms easily plant personality Blooms easily 29
Philodendron Scandens has a Pest magnet plant personality Pest magnet 11
@WinPapaya avatar
@@WinPapaya
leaf-1 2 Plants
xp 204 XP
02/28/2022

They are so beautiful and can withstand a lot, my house has made like 2/3 from the original one. Great Plant!!

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
Fast grower Fast grower
@RadFlax avatar
@@RadFlax
leaf-1 4 Plants
xp 185 XP
02/13/2022

So awesome I love it 😍 looks stunning and where

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@MoonStoneEyes avatar
@@MoonStoneEyes
leaf-1 22 Plants
xp 1,578 XP
globe Southampton, PA
01/28/2022

Prone to gnats

Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Blooms easily Blooms easily
Survivor Survivor
Fast grower Fast grower
@PlantRocko avatar
@@PlantRocko
leaf-1 1 Plants
xp 26 XP
01/16/2022

It’s a nice plant

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@PinguDog avatar
@@PinguDog
leaf-1 9 Plants
xp 1,919 XP
01/16/2022

Lovely plant with lots of new leaves most weeks and somewhat easy to care for. Can climb or trail and it’s so easy to propagate. Wonderful plant for beginners.

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@InsideGarden avatar
@@InsideGarden
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 142 XP
01/12/2022

I love the appearance of this plant. It has nearly tripled since I purchased it in June of 2021. The initial plant had larger leaves were much larger than those it is now producing. I'll be looking into the cause.

Fast grower Fast grower
@MollyMoon avatar
@@MollyMoon
leaf-1 45 Plants
xp 4,389 XP
globe Fort Collins, CO
01/12/2022

This guys don’t mind drying out all the way and recover quickly if underwatered. But don’t like to be overwatered so check the soil before watering it !

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Survivor Survivor
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@Youngplantdad avatar
@@Youngplantdad
leaf-1 89 Plants
xp 11,975 XP
globe Washington, IL
01/11/2022

They say that they typically handle low light conditions but they like bright indirect! Perfect first time plant.

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Blooms easily Blooms easily
Survivor Survivor
Aubrey avatar
@Aubrey
leaf-1 13 Plants
xp 846 XP
globe Coos Bay, OR
01/11/2022

so beautiful and so easy to take care of. lots of bright indirect light and it’s golden. love mine to death

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@danzplantz4 avatar
@@danzplantz4
leaf-1 1 Plants
xp 104 XP
01/08/2022

Thrives with bottom watering!

Fast grower Fast grower
@moospiit avatar
@@moospiit
leaf-1 2 Plants
xp 218 XP
01/06/2022

pretty

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@mossycabbages avatar
@@mossycabbages
leaf-1 66 Plants
xp 3,455 XP
12/28/2021

I started out with three cuttings of one leaf each mid august 2021 and I now have 20+ leaves. This plant has thrived with ~65% humidity, grow lights, and an inch of spagnum moss on top of the soil. Overall a very easy plant to care for and quick to propagate

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@Roxanne avatar
@@Roxanne
leaf-1 37 Plants
xp 12,894 XP
globe Portland, OR
12/25/2021

I love all the shades of green and it’s heart shaped leaves. Very forgiving and easy going plant to care for.

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Survivor Survivor
@pixelplants avatar
@@pixelplants
leaf-1 21 Plants
xp 1,845 XP
12/21/2021

Beginner friendly & gives so much with very few care requirements! Perfect for hanging pots or on top of a shelf :)

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
@N1ntendh03 avatar
@@N1ntendh03
leaf-1 0 Plants
xp 817 XP
12/15/2021

I’ve had this plant for a very long time. She survived a winter storm. My power went out and my house was freezing for one week. Very much proud of her! Vibes are my favorite too! ✨🌿✨

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@rwags avatar
@@rwags
leaf-1 55 Plants
xp 5,342 XP
12/12/2021

Have loved watched this take off. Fun looking plant. Have in a south window and water just before soil gets dry.

Fast grower Fast grower
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@RinnyK avatar
@@RinnyK
leaf-1 24 Plants
xp 1,713 XP
globe Round Hill, VA
12/07/2021

Got this little plant from my local nursery. We thought there was an issue with pests but a little quarantine, lots of love and it’s growing beautifully. My kids love to check on it and their other window plants daily.

Pretty easy to care for.

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Survivor Survivor
@calilaurel avatar
@@calilaurel
leaf-1 15 Plants
xp 849 XP
globe Davie, FL
12/06/2021

Amazing a beautiful trailer that I’ve been able to cut and transplant several times!!

Fast grower Fast grower
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Survivor Survivor
@carter avatar
@@carter
leaf-1 3 Plants
xp 422 XP
12/02/2021

I’ve never had the best green thumb, but this plant truly is a survivor and it is beautiful, too!

Survivor Survivor
Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
@lolitagrows avatar
@@lolitagrows
leaf-1 28 Plants
xp 586 XP
globe Tustin, CA
11/30/2021

such a beautiful plant and loves to climb a pole! many leaves and constant new growth makes for a happy plant parent

Large, lush leaves Large, lush leaves
Blooms easily Blooms easily
Survivor Survivor

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