Philodendron Pastazanum Plant Care Guide

Last Updated on March 19, 2022 by Admin

Philodendron pastazanum are attention grabbers.

They feature stunningly enormous heart-shaped green textured leaves that you can’t miss once you enter a room.

Most people trim them to keep them sparse in order to place more focus on each leaf. But, you can let them clump as well which makes or a more breathtaking exotic appeal.

If that’s not enough, you may also want to know that they are very easy to care for.

Unfortunately, these wonderful foliage houseplants have one drawback.

They are rare and expensive.

If you’re lucky to find them online, be ready to spend at least $90 or $100. You’ll easily see some reaching $200 or higher.

But, more often than not, they’re either not available or out of stock.

That said, they’re much easier to find in tropical countries. Although you’ll need to have the online shops ship it overseas to you.

You can likewise find them with some specialty growers who propagate the plant themselves.

Philodendron Pastazanum Plant Care

Light Requirements

Your Philodendron pastazanum need bright, indirect light. And, they can take as much as 2 or 3 hours of direct sunlight in the morning.

However, they cannot tolerate more than that.

Avoid keeping them under the direct path of the sun’s rays for more than that amount of time. More importantly, keep them away from the intense afternoon sun as well as that in the summer.

Doing so can damage its leaves.

On the other hand, they plant is able to tolerate low light. This makes it a good choice for homes.

That said, be aware that there is a threshold of how little light it can tolerate. As you place it in a dimmer location, you may start noticing its growth slow down.

Thus, the best spots for the plant include a north, northeast and east facing window. These give you less light compared to the other sides.

On the other hand if you place it facing south or west, make sure to either:

Keep it a few feet from the window aware from the sun’s rays
Or, use some kind of blinks, shade or drapes to block out some of the light.

Temperature

Due to its tropical nature, your Philodendron pastazanum easily adapts to the indoor conditions. This makes well-suited as a houseplant with little adjustments needed on your part.

It grows best when temperature is kept between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Keeping the climate in your home at this range will allow it to grow optimally and produce lovely, large green leaves.

On the other hand growth will begin to slow as you get past 85 degrees or so. More importantly avoid overly hot rooms and conditions where ethe plant will experience 95 degree weather or higher.

Like other philodendrons, it cannot tolerate the cold.

Thus, it is not a good idea to keep it outdoors if you live somewhere that experiences snow or brutal winters. It is only hardy to USDA zones 9 to 11. Thus, it will only get through sunny winters.

This makes it crucial to watch out for climates that go under 60 degrees. Once things hit 55 degrees or less, it will begin to experience stress, which is not a good thing as it becomes more susceptible to pests and disease.

As the temperature drops it will start to sustain damage.

Humidity

Humidity is another very important factor when caring for your Philodendron pastazanum. That’s because it enjoys moist conditions.

Ideally, it thrives when humidity is kept at least 65% or higher. This allows it to produce its best foliage especially between the range of 65% and 75%.

The good new is it can tolerate drier conditions all the way down to average home humidity (40% to 50%).

However, any lower than that and it will affect its growth.

this makes it a good idea to mist the plant a few times a week if you happen to live somewhere that’s dry.

Keep in mind that humidity, like temperature changes throughout the wear. It is often lower during hot summers and cold winters.

If you’re not sure what the humidity is in your home, I highly recommend picking up a digital hygrometer. This is an affordable device that instantly measures humidity.

As such, you can quickly tell if a particular room in your home is suitable for your Philodendron pastazanum. And, whether you need to do something to increase the humidity there.

If you happen to experience low humidity where you want to position the plant, here are a few things you can try.

Use a pebble tray where you fill a tray with water and place pebbles in it. Then put the pot on top of the pebbles to keep the bottom of the container above the water.
Group your plants together. As they transpire as a group, water vapor increases to push humidity up.
Set up a humidifier
Mist the plant a few times a week

You can also move it to the bathroom or other rooms in the home that are known to be more humid.

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Watering Philodendron Pastazanum

Water is by far the most important thing to consider when caring for your Philodendron pastazanum. That’s because it is easy to harm the plant if done incorrectly.

And, more often than not, many houseplant owners tend to overwater their plants.

Unfortunately, too much water is the #1 cause of plant death.

As such, it is important to avoid doing this.

This makes it essential to wait until the soil gets a bit dry before watering. On average, you’ll be watering about once a week. But, be aware the it will need more water as the weather gets hotter during the summer and much less water during the colder months.

The simplest way to avoid overwatering is check by hand. You can do so by sticking your index finger into the soil up to about 2 inches deep. If the soil at 2 inches or beyond feels dry, it is time to water.

If not, wait a bit longer until it does get past that point.

When you water, it is also a good idea to let the root ball soak by slowly pouring water until you see the liquid start to drip from the bottom of the container, then stop.

Allow all the excess moisture to drain before returning it back to its place. This way, the plant does not sit in water.

Soil for Philodendron Pastazanum

Another way to safeguard against overwatering is to use well-draining soil.

You Philodendron pastazanum enjoys light and airy soil. Thus, something chunky like orchid bark is a good medium. This not only provides a lot of extra space to allow air to circulate but also makes it easy to excess moisture to drain away from the plant’s rooms.

Keep in mind that well-draining or fast-draining soil does not mean that it will allow all the water to just pass through the mixture. Instead, in gardening, this refers to soil that’s able to hold enough water and nutrients to provide the plant with sustenance.

Just as importantly, it will allow excess moisture to drain quickly so that the plant won’t end up sitting in water for long periods of time.

If this happens, it can put your philodendron at risk of root rot which is a dreaded problem with the roots that is difficult to remedy.

As such, using something like perlite or pumice is a good idea as they have the properties needed by the plant.

Philodendron Pastazanum Fertilizer

Fertilizer is very helpful for you Philodendron pastazanum because it has the capacity to grow quickly. Like adolescent teens, faster growing plants will require more resources to sustain that growth.

This means giving it enough bright, indirect light, water and plant food.

But, be careful not to overfeed the plant.

Like water, too much fertilizer is a bad thing. That’s because fertilizers are chemically created. As such, they will leave some residue in the soil that eventually accumulate. This will harm your plant if enough is collected.

Organic fertilizers leave less salt residue. But, they’re also more expensive. Thus, most growers still use synthetic while being mindful of how much the supply the plant.

The one kind of fertilizer to avoid is cheap or low quality ones. These are tempting because they cost much less. But, they leave a lot of salt residue that will damage your plant in the long run.

When it comes to feeding, apply a balanced fertilizer once a month during the plant’s growing season (spring and summer). Make sure to dilute it to half strength as full strength is just too much for it.

You don’t need to feed it during the fall or winter.

You can use a liquid fertilizer or a slow release version. The latter will let you feed only twice a year which is great if you’re very busy.

Pruning

Philodendron pastazanum don’t need a lot of pruning because it does not get as dense or messy as some of the other species.

That said, they if you leave it be, you’ll soon see lots of large leaves flopping over one another making the plant extend outwards.

This is a stunning look especially indoors if you have the space. Otherwise, it can take up a wide circumference.

If the latter is the case, and you feel that the plant’s large leaves are covering furniture, parts of the sofa or other areas of your home, then by all means prune it.

However, do trim a bit at a time.

Pruning helps keep the plant healthy and growing well. It also prevents pest and disease problems. As such, it is a good idea to do so if needed.

Another important thing is to wipe down the leaves with a damp cloth. This removes any dust which helps it absorb more light.

Cleaning the laves also gives you the chance to regular inspect the plant to prevent or spot pests or disease early.

Philodendron Pastazanum Propagation

Philodendron pastazanum can be propagated by stem cuttings or through tis rhizome. I’ve found that most home growers are more successful with stem cuttings because it is easier and more familiar.

All you need to do is take a 4 or so inch of healthy stem with at least 2 or 3 leaf nodes. Then place it in water which will allow it to root.

Once the roots get to 0.5 to 1 inch long, you can move the stem cutting to a small pot with well-draining soil.

How to Repot Philodendron Pastazanum

As your Philodendron pastazanum grows, it will get to the point whey its current container won’t be able to accommodate it anymore.

When this happens, it is a good idea to repot the plant to a bigger container. Ideally move to something that is about 2 inches bigger, not much more.

Going up a much bigger amount increases the risk or overwatering as there will be much more soil compared to the root volume. This means it takes longer for the soil to dry. And, will keep the plant sitting in water for longer.

The main sign to look out for is when you see roots starting to come out from the holes under the container. This tells you the plant is looking for more space beyond the pot.

The best time to repot is during the spring or early summer.

Toxicity

Philodendron pastazanum contain calcium oxalate crystals. These are insoluble meaning human and animal digestive systems cannot dissolve them.

As such, if ingested they will cause gastrointestinal distress, pain and irritation. Thus, it is very important to keep the plant away from the reach of young kids or pets that might get curious and start chewing on them.

Pests

Your Philodendron pastazanum can get attacked by pests. As much as a hassle this is, it is a part of gardening.

As such, the goal of every grower is to prevent it as much as possible. If not, then try to spot the problem as early as possible to fix it quickly.

When it comes to pests, the most common problems for your Philodendron pastazanum include spider mites, thrips, mealybugs whiteflies and scale.

You want to watch out for all of them. And, the best way to do so is to regular inspect the leaves for these critters and the damage they cause.

Depending on which one you experience, you can get rid of them in a few ways. The simplest is just to hose them off using water. The pressure of the water will push them off and away from your plant.

I highly suggest doing this outside in the driveway or somewhere the pests don’t end up in your yard or garden.

Another option is using insecticidal soap or neem oil. Both work in treating and preventing pests.

Diseases

When it comes to diseases, water is often involved one way or another. In most cases, it is due to overwatering.

This can cause root rot and leaf spot which are two of the most common plant diseases.

Too much water or allowing your plant to sit in wet soil increases the risk of rook rot, which destroys the roots. As a result, this will prevent them from functioning properly.

And, it the damage gets severe affecting too many root tips, your plant won’t be able to absorb moisture or nutrients from the soil, leading to death.

Leaf spot is caused by wet foliage that doesn’t dry fast enough. Often it is watering late in the day when there’s no sun to help dry them quickly.

Another is wetting the leaves too much. This can happen when you water the plant from overhead wetting everything or misting too much that the leaves end up all wet.

Other problems include yellow and brown leaves. Both are likewise associated with watering issues.