Philodendron Joepii Care & Propagation Guide & Tips

Last Updated on April 13, 2022 by Admin

The Philodendron Joepii is a very rare plant that is hard to find. It is native to the South American rainforest and is believed to be nearly extinct in the wild.

As such, this philodendron plant is an expensive plant sought after by collectors.

How do you care for Philodendron Joepii? The plant enjoys bright indirect light but avoid direct sunlight which can burn its leaves. It is a tropical plant so it prefers warm, humid environments.

Also, avoid overwatering it as this can lead to root rot. Make sure to wait until the soil is dry and use well-draining soil.

Table of Contents

Philodendron Joepii Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Philodendron Joepii likes bright, indirect light. In the rainforests of South America, the plant will go up trees and other larger plant to get as much light as it can.

As such, it is important to give it sufficient light indoors.

This makes an east or west facing window the ideal spot for the plant.

However, it is important to avoid direct sunlight. Again, its position in the rainforest under the leaves and branches of the other trees means it does not experience heavy or strong sun.

So, while it does need to be in a well-lit location, be careful not exposure it to the sun’s rays especially during mid-day when it is harshest.

This will turn its leaves yellow. And in the worst case scorch them leaving you with burn marks on foliage.

For this reason you want to be a bit more cautious with a south-facing window. This direction receives sunshine from late morning to mid afternoon which is when it happens to be most instance.

If you want to position it there, you have 2 options:

Keep it about 3 or more feet away from the window so the sun’s rays don’t get to it.
Filter the light coming in from the window by using curtains or blinds.

On the other hand, avoid low light as this will hinder the plant’s growth.

Temperature

The Philodendron Joepii prefers warm temperatures. Again, this has to do with its native habitat which is located in the tropical region of the world.

For this reason the plant feels most comfortable when temperature stays between 60 to 85 degrees.

The good news is most homes will have temperatures within this range. So, you don’t need to do anything to accommodate the plant.

It is also important to be aware that while it can tolerate temperatures between 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, it is not a good idea to leave it somewhere very hot because it can easily get dehydrated.

But the most important thing to know as far as temperature is concerned is to keep it away from the cold.

Its native habitat does not experience cold weather even during winter. Therefore, it has poor tolerance for temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is also why if you leave it outside during the summer, make sure to take it back indoors once the climate drops around mid to last fall. It will not survive winter outdoors.

Instead, it needs the warmth indoors to stay healthy,

This is why it prefers USDA Hardiness Zones 10 and 11.

Humidity

Ideal humidity for the Philodendron Joepii is 60% to 70%. The plant is happiest here and will grow the fastest if kept in this condition.

Additionally, it will produce larger, more lush leaves.

It is also worth noting that can tolerate humidity as low as 40% without any harm. This makes it easier to keep insides homes.

Still, because most homes have humidity that hove between 20% and 50%, the plant may not get enough air moisture.

You’ll know this is happening when you see brown or crispy leaf tips and edges forming. This means it lacks humidity and needs your home.

The simplest way to fix this issue is to get a humidifier. You can set it to the level that you need and let it regulate the humidity in a given space.

A free option would be to just mist the plant. Although, I am not a big can of this because the effects are temporary. So, you need to mist every 2-3 days to keep humidity up.

A better option that I suggest is to make a simple pebble tray.

You can do this by filling a tray with water and placing pebbles on the water. Then put the pot on the pebbles so it sits above the water line.

As the water evaporates, the vapor will increase humidity.

And all you need to do is fill the tray when the water gets depleted.

How Often to Water Philodendron Joepii

The Philodendron Joepii does not need a lot of water. This gives you a bit more leeway to allow the soil to dry more between waterings.

The relevance of this is that like other philodendrons, it can be susceptible to root rot if it gets overwatered.

So, since it can tolerate some dryness, you are able to sidestep this problem by letting the soil dry a bit more between waterings.

In general, you can wait until the soil is dry between 2 inches from the top of the soil’s surface all the way until the root ball is 50% dry.

Within this range, you can water any time without the risk of overwatering.

As such, try to avoid watering before then as this can cause the roots to end up swimming in water.

Similarly, avoid letting the soil completely dry out. This will cause underwatering or dehydration. Both of which are harmful to he plant.

Related

Philodendron Joepii Potting Soil

The Philodendron Joepii needs well-draining soil that is porous or chunky.

Contrary to what its name implies, well-draining soil does not immediately or very quickly drain all the water you add.

Instead, it holds some water and quickly drains the excess.

This makes it perfect for the Philodendron Joepii as it keeps the soil moist without retaining too much moisture that will leave the roots with wet feet.

In doing so, the plant stays hydrated without potential issues of overwatering or root rot.

In addition to good drainage and aeration, it is a good idea to give the soil rich soil with pH of 5.5 to 7.5. This will reduce the need for fertilizer. And will allow the plant to efficiently absorb nutrients.

Lastly, make sure to use a container with drainage.

The easiest way to achieve this is to get a pot with drainage holes at he bottom. If you have a plastic pot with no holes, you can drill a few at the bottom.

Avoid drilling holes that are very big since soil will easily fall through those holeds.

Fertilizer

The Philodendron Joepii does not need a lot of fertilizer. But it is important to make sure it gets what it needs.

Here, you have a few options.

The best one is creating your own organic fertilizer. You can use compost, work castings and other natural ingredients and top dress the soil to give the plant the nutrients it needs.

While this takes more work and experimentation to get right, it is less toxic because there are no chemicals involved.

That said, most home growers will use synthetic fertilizer.

These are what you find in store shelves. They are much easier to use because they have been mixed and ready for you.

With water soluble fertilizer all you need to do is add water and pour.

However, these do leave mineral salts in the soil. And when they build up, the salts are toxic to plants.

Therefore, you want to be careful with feeding your plants too much of this.

An alternative would be to flush the soil ever few weeks or months to remove the salt residue.

With liquid fertilizer, apply once a month during spring and summer diluting it to half strength. Also, don’t fertilize the plant when the soil is dry.

Finally, there’s slow-release fertilizer.

This is similar to standard fertilizer but it releases the nutrients over weeks and months. Therefore, you reduce the risk of overfeeding due to the intervals.

Similarly, you only need to apply 1-2 times per growing season since it takes a while for the fertilizer to get used up.

Pruning

The Philodendron Joepii will eventually grow into a large plant with large leaves. Similarly, its petioles will also get quite long.

The length the petioles means that the leaves will spread out In different directions far away from the plant.

Not only does this make the plant take up more space, it can also make it look messy when you have many leaves and petioles crisscrossing all over the place.

As such, pruning will be needed as the plant produces more leaves and gets bigger.

Because its unique (some would say awkward) structure you will need to decide on where to place the plant and what look do you want it to have.

This way, you can trim it when it gets too long or untidy.

How to Propagate Philodendron Joepii

The best way to propagate the Philodendron Joepii is through stem cuttings. This is done by taking a healthy stem and rooting it in water, soil or sphagnum moss.

Here’s how to do it step by step.

Make sure the plant is healthy before you propagate. The best time to propagate your Philodendron Joepii is during spring or early summer.
Select a healthy stem with at least one node and a few leaves on it. The node is essential as the propagation will fail without it.
Cut the stem just below the node.
Then plant the cutting into potting mix. I also like to apply rooting hormone on the cutting before putting it into soil.
Water the soil and place the new plant in bright, indirect light.

It will take about 3 to 4 weeks for the roots to grow and grab hold of the soil.

How to Repot or Transplant Philodendron Joepii

To allow the plant to keep growing, it is important to repot it once it gets root bound.

This will usually take about 2-3 years although it can vary depending on its living conditions. The amount of light it gets, humidity, fertilizer and other factors all affect how fast or slow the plant will grow.

Therefore, I suggest checking the bottom of the pot to know when to repot the plant.

Once you see roots coming out of the holes at the bottom of the pot, it is time to move the plant to a bigger container.

The ideal time to repot is spring or early summer although you can do it any time as long as the day isn’t raining, very cold or very hot. This will add stress to what the plant is already experiencing.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

Unfortunately, the Philodendron Joepii is toxic. Therefore, it is best to keep it away from the reach of young kids and pets.

Accidental ingesting can cause digestive tract issues including pain, irritation, swelling, excessive drooling, vomiting and nausea.

Philodendron Joepii Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

No plant owner likes to see or deal with pests. But they are part of owning a houseplant because there’s no 100% fool-proof way to prevent them.

But you can keep the plant healthy and clean its leaves to reduce its risk.

That said, when it comes to the Philodendron Joepii, mealybugs, spider mites, aphids, whiteflies and thrips are common issues.

Thus, it is a good idea to keep an eye out for them.

If you spot any, isolate the plant and start treatment.

I’ve also noticed that most pests usually occur when you take a new plant home. This could be from the nursery or when you have a plant exchange with someone else.

Therefore always inspect the new plant before bringing it in your home and placing it near your other indoors plants.

Diseases

Root rot is by far the most problematic issue your Philodendron Joepii may deal with.

That’s because it can destroy the plant.

And given how rare this one is, you want to avoid root rot as much as possible.

To do so, avoid overwatering, make sure you use well-draining soil and a pot with holes. Together, they will keep your plant safe from too much moisture.