Philodendron Wendlandii Plant Care Guide

Last Updated on June 9, 2022 by Admin

The Philodendron Wendlandii is a compact plant that features short stems and longer petioles. It develops clusters of 12 or more lance-shaped leaves that leaves grow in alternate pattern.

This is a rare hybrid aroid that is slow growing. But in time it will become very bushy.

How do care for the Philodendron Wendlandii? The plant grows best in well-draining soil, bright, indirect light and regular fertilizer during its growing season.

Don’t overwater the plant as it hates soggy, mucky soil. It is also prone to overwatering and root rot. Keep it in warm weather as it is not frost hardy.

Table of Contents

Philodendron Wendlandii Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Philodendron Wendlandii enjoys indirect or filtered sunlight. It does best in medium to bright light. Although it can tolerate low light as well.

Outdoors, partial shade is where the plant will thrive.

As much as the plant likes plenty of light or being in a well-lit location, it cannot tolerate intense direct sunlight.

You can leave it there for 2-3 hours a day. But anything more it will eventually affect its leaves.

Note that excess sun will not harm the plant.

Unfortunately, you’ll end up with yellow leaves. At times, they’ll get sun spots as well. And if the it receives very harsh sun, you may see the leaves develop black/brown burn marks.

In generally, yellow leaves do happen especially with the lower leaves as they age.

But there should only be a few. And usually only 1 or 2 at most turn yellow at a time.

When you see several leaves including the top and middle foliage (which get a lot of the sunlight) turn yellow around the same time, it means that the plant is likely getting too much sunlight.

On the other hand, while the plant can do well in low light, there’s also such a thing as too little light.

Once you see its stems get leggy, the plant’s growth slow down or even stop, these are signs that it needs more light.

Fewer and smaller leaves are likewise symptoms.

The good news, in both extreme cases, all you need to do is move the plant to medium or bright, indirect light.

If you don’t get a lot of natural light access to your home due to window placement, you can use artificial lights. The plant responds well to LED grow lights.

Temperature

The Philodendron Wendlandii is a tropical plant. This is why it prefers temperature between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

As such, it easily adapts to most indoor environments.

And you don’t have to do anything to accommodate it at home. All you need to do is find a well-lit location in your home and the plant will be happy.

It is also worth mentioning that it has no problems with hotter temperatures.

It can stay in heat of 95 degrees Fahrenheit without any issues. However, the hotter it gets, the better the hydration you need to give it.

Otherwise, it can end up drying up due to the increased rate of evaporation.

The reason why the plant prefers a more moderate to warm temperature is that in its native habitat, the jungles of Central America, it lives under the shade of the forest canopy.

As such, the branches and leaves of the huge trees block out the direct rays of the sun. Additionally, they shade they provide helps give the plant a slightly cooler living condition.

That said, because the tropics don’t have snow, winters or freezing temperatures, it is not use to the cold.

It can tolerate down to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything lower is too cold for the Philodendron Wendlandii.

It will be able to tolerate 45 degree Fahrenheit environments for a while, but if you leave it there for long, it will get into trouble.

Slow growth is usually the first sign. This will soon turn into stress that produces yellow leaves, wilting and other side effects.

Eventually, you’ll see leaves fall off as well.

The plant will also experience cold injury and damage if things stay too cold for too long.

Therefore, never leave it outdoors during winter. It won’t be able to withstand the cold and frost. Instead, bring it inside and keep it in a warm, cozy spot.

On the other hand, the Philodendron Wendlandii loves the outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11. That’s because the weather stays relatively warm and sunny all year.

If you live in these locations, you’ll be able to grow the plant outdoors in a pot or in the ground with no problems.

Humidity

The Philodendron Wendlandii does best in moderate to high humidity. Ideally, it prefers 50% to 70% humidity.

But it can tolerate 40% humidity and slightly below that.

This makes it somewhat easier to care for indoors as most homes have humidity in the higher 30s or in the 40s.

But there are exceptions.

Some places like those close to the desert or in the desert usually have drier air. This causes their humidity to stay in the high 20s or low 30s.

Similarly, you want to take note of how dry the air gets during winter.

In some areas, summers can get very dry as well.

During these times, humidity will drop. So, it is a good idea to keep track of how big a swing indoor humidity in your home experiences.

The plant enjoys good humidity because it is accustomed to living in tropical climates. These places have average daily humidity running between 60% to 75%.

This is why the Philodendron Wendlandii enjoys higher levels.

In most homes with average room humidity, there should not a problem. But if you see the plant’s leaf edges and tips turn brown, dry or crispy, it means it lack humidity.

You can use a humidifier or mist the plant a few times a week. You can also set up a pebble tray.

How Often to Water Philodendron Wendlandii

The Philodendron Wendlandii needs moderate watering. This comes out to about once a week.

Although, it is important to just take this as a guideline.

That’s because the frequency of watering will change significantly depending on the time of year.

During the summer, the hot weather will make the soil dry faster. As such, you’ll find yourself watering 2 or even 3 times a week.

On the other hand, in winter when the weather is cold and there’s little sunshine, it takes soil much longer to dry.

This can mean watering once every 2 or 3 weeks.

In general, the Philodendron Wendlandii likes moist soil. It hates wet, mucky soil. And it dislikes the soil drying out completely as well.

However, of the two, overwatering is more dangerous.

That’s because it can lead to root rot.

Additionally, the plant bounces back faster from dryness. In contrast, if root rot spreads too much through the root system, you won’t have a second chance to save the plant.

Therefore, stay on the drier side of things just to be safe.

This means waiting until the soil has partially dried before adding more water.

At the very least wait until the top 2 inches of soil has dried before you water.

I prefer to wait until the top 25% to 50% of the soil has dried between waterings. This gives me a bit more leeway to avoid overwatering.

By following this simple rules, your watering schedule will adjust automatically to how quickly or slowly the soil dries.

This way you don’t have to bother about remembering when to water the plant.

Philodendron Wendlandii Potting Soil

The Philodendron Wendlandii needs well-draining soil that is loose and rich. It also does best in soil pH between 5.0 to 6.0.

The Philodendron Wendlandii can also grow in 100% sphagnum peat moss.

The most important thing to keep it mind is that it needs good drainage. That’s because of its susceptibility to overwatering and root rot.

Well-draining soil, will keep the soil moist (but not wet). That’s because it holds some moisture but will quickly get rid of the excess water.

The latter avoids leaving the roots sitting in water for long periods of time.

This is what causes root damage and problems.

Why?

Roots need both oxygen and water. It needs a balance of both.

When you water the plant too often, the additional water keeps piling up. Soon enough the roots will drown or be left swimming in water.

This causes them to suffocate because they cannot get air through all the liquid.

So, if the liquid does not drain soon enough, the roots end up suffocating to death. After dying, they rot.

As such, waterlogged soil and overwatering are the biggest threats to this plant.

And using well-draining soil will let you avoid both from happening.

The best soil for the Philodendron Wendlandii is an Aroid Mix. You can get this from online plant shops or some nurseries.

Alternatively, if you prefer to make your own potting mix at home, here’s one that works really well for the plant.

30% potting soil
40% bark
20% peat
10% perlite

Then add a few handfuls of charcoal.

This combination gives you some water holding ability to keep soil moist. But it ensures very good drainage. Additionally, the bark and charcoal improve aeration as well.

Fertilizer

The Philodendron Wendlandii will grow faster and produce larger leaves if you feed it with fertilizer.

However, make sure not to overdo this.

That’s because you can end up damaging the plant.

Most growers use a balanced fertilizer. A 15-15-15 or 20-20-20 formulation will work well. Dilute this by 50% strength if you’re growing the plant in a pot indoors.

If the plant is grown in the ground outdoors, use full-strength as instructed in the product label.

The Philodendron Wendlandii only needs to be fed once a month during spring and summer. This is its growing season.

Stop feeding around early to mid-fall. And skip the winters.

You can likewise use slow-release fertilizer which come in pellet form. This will reduce the frequency of application.

Pruning

The Philodendron Wendlandii is a slow growing plant that can reach between 3 to 4 feet tall.

Its leaves will get quite long and they will grow out from the center of the plant.

As such, the plant can cover some space around it more leaves grow and they get bigger.

The way they grow can somewhat get messy as well over time when there’s a lot of leaves. Thus, you may need to prune the plant if you don’t like this look.

Some people like how it gets when it gets quite bushy. But others prefer something more neat looking.

If this is the case, you can prune it.

Similarly, you can prune to propagate as well if you wish.

The plant is fairly easy to propagate. And the amount of leaves the grow on it lets to create many new, young plants at the same time.

How to Propagate Philodendron Wendlandii

The Philodendron Wendlandii is easy to propagate. And stem cuttings are the most efficient way of propagating the plant for home gardeners.

Here, you can take healthy stem cuttings and grow them into new plants.

I prefer to take the stems roots with it to speed up the process. This way you don’t have to go through the rooting process.

Additionally, you reduce the risk of propagation failure which usually happens (if it does) in the rooting process.

From experience, this method also works much better for this plant because it has very small stems. What you see holding up the leaves are the petioles.

The best time to propagate the plant is during spring.

Here’s how to propagate Philodendron Wendlandii from stem cuttings.

Start by choosing a healthy stem. You want a good looking stem with no issues. It should have a few leaves on it as well.
Trace the stem down to the soil. Then, using your hands or a trowel, dig around the stem.
You want to dig the soil enough to see the roots of that stem. Alternatively, you can unpot the plant can use water to clean out all the soil to see all the roots clearly.
Use a sterile knife and cut just that small section of the root that attaches to the stem and leaf. You don’t need to get a big chunk of root. But get something that has enough roots to support the new plant.
Once you separate the rooted stem cutting, you can plant it into its own pot with fresh, well-draining potting soil.
Water the soil and keep it in bright, indirect sunlight.

Because the cutting already has roots, it will begin growing and producing new shoots in a while.

Therefore no need to wait for it to develop new roots.

How to Repot or Transplant Philodendron Wendlandii

The Philodendron Wendlandii will grow to a somewhat good sized plant.

As such, you’ll need to move pots at some point. But it is a slow grower. Therefore, it does take a while.

Like other philodendron varieties, this aroid does not like being moved. So, only do so when there’s a reason to do so.

In general, it takes 2-3 years before the Philodendron Wendlandii needs repotting.

But check the bottom of its pot every 6 or 12 months.

If you see roots coming out from the bottom of the pot’s drainage holes, it means it has outgrown its container and is already getting root bound.

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

Move the plant to a pot that is one size larger. This is around 2 inches wider than the current pot. Make sure the pot has drainage holes at the bottom.

Also, replace the soil with fresh, well-draining soil.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

The Philodendron Wendlandii is toxic to both people and pets. Interestingly, this plant clean the air of the toxins as well.

But if you ingest or consumer parts of the plant, it will cause various side effects including vomiting, inflammation, pain, swelling, difficulty breathing and many more.

So, keep it away from young children, dogs and cats who may accidentally eat its leaves out of curiosity.

Philodendron Wendlandii Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

The Philodendron Wendlandii is fairly resistant to pests. But it will also get attacked by some of the common houseplant pests.

In most cases, the pests get to the plant from outside.

This includes the first time you take it home from the nursery or someone else’s home. Similarly, then you bring the plant indoors from the yard.

As such, it is always important to debug the plant before doing this.

Taking the time to do this prevents your other houseplants from getting infected by pests as well.

Aphids, mites, mealybugs and scale are the most common pest problems. Treat them with neem oil or insecticidal soap as soon as you spot any.

Diseases

The Philodendron Wendlandii is likewise not prone to disease. But it is susceptible to overwatering which is what usually leads to all the other problems.

Root rot is the most serious of these problems as it can kill the plant eventually.

Leaf infections are likewise issues, as some of them don’t have solutions. But in most cases, you can fix the leaf disease.

In both cases, make sure to be mindful of when you water and how you water.