Philodendron White Measure Care - Light, Water, Soil and Propagation

Last Updated on January 20, 2023 by Admin

The Philodendron White Measure is a rare and uncommon plant that will instantly catch your eye because of its unique looks.

It is also worth noting that the Philodendron White Measure is also known as the Philodendron Birkin White Measure. Another name for the plant is the Philodendron White Wave.

While it is not the biggest of plants, it has beautifully shaped leaves with yellow-green pinstripes running from its mid vein to the edges.

The plant also becomes very bushy with proper care which makes it stunning to look at.

How do you care for the Philodendron White Measure? Place the plant in a well-lit location with indirect lighting. This will maintain its beautiful stipes.

It enjoys warm, humid conditions. But it is not cold or frost hardy. So, keep it indoors during the winter. Feed the plant with a balanced fertilizer during its growing season. Don’t overwater it.

Philodendron White Measure Plant Care

Light Requirements

The Philodendron White Measure enjoys a well-lit space with no direct sunlight. Ideally, give it medium to bright natural light.

This will allow it to maintain its beautiful leaves.

Sufficient lighting is also important as it will let the plant produce many leaves that big and wide.

This is why an east or west facing window are the best locations for the plant. While it will survive near a northern window, you need to make sure there is sufficient light coming in from that direction.

This is especially true during the winter.

The Philodendron White Measure will do okay in low light.

But its growth may slow down and it likely won’t produce as many leaves. Additionally, you may see smaller leaves as well.

Less light also means less variegations which is what makes the plant amazing to look at.

On the other hand, while it thrives in plenty of light, too much light can damage it as well.

Again, the Philodendron White Measure will survive the excess light exposure.

But its leaves will suffer the consequences.

That’s because too much sun will cause discoloration and even make the leaves fade. If the intensity of the sun’s rays is very strong, they could end up scorching the leaves as well.

This will leave you with brown or black burn marks on foliage.

Unfortunately, these are all permanent.

So, your only option is to remove or trim the damaged foliage and wait for new ones to grow.

Temperature

The Philodendron White Measure likes warm weather. It is a tropical plant.

And for the most part it adapts quite well to different conditions. However, this only applies to the warmer side of things.

That’s where the plant feels comfortable.

Its ideal temperature is between 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. This is where it will grow best. Fortunately, this also happens to be where most home temperatures run.

So, it is easy to keep the plant happy indoors in your home.

That said, it can tolerate higher temperature all the way to 95 degrees Fahrenheit without any issues.

It can likewise withstand going down a bit as well.

But where its problems begin is when the temperature drops under 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

It dislikes the cold. And the plant is not frost hardy.

This means you want to keep it away from anything cold. This includes air conditioners and cold draft inside the house.

Outdoors, the plant can have more problems if you live in an area with four seasons.

Here, it is better off as a houseplant with frequent vacations outdoors.

You can take it outdoors when the weather is warm and balmy. This is usually between the middle of spring to around the middle of fall.

Make sure to bring it back indoors once the temperature nears 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, there are a few exceptions.

These occur in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11 where the plant likes staying outdoors. And you can leave it there all your round.

You can keep it in a pot in your patio or yard. Or plant it in the ground in your garden.

That’s because these areas have consistent sunshine and generally moderate to warm weather 365 days a year.

Humidity

The Philodendron White Measure likes humidity.

And it will grow faster and produce more vibrant leaves if you give it this. Its ideal humidity is between 50% and 70%.

However, it can tolerate room humidity as long as it stays at 40% and above.

From my experience, it can tolerate levels below this as well. And the better hydrated the plant is the more tolerant it gets of humidity.

However, it is always a good idea to be aware of what the humidity threshold of the plant is.

You can use a hygrometer to keep track of this.

Another option is to watch the plant’s leaves especially during the first couple of months after bringing it home.

This will give you an idea if you need to help it out or not.

As long as its leaves look healthy, keep growing and have nice, vibrant colors, then everything is going well.

However, if you notice the leaf edges and tips turn brown, dry or crispy, it means it needs more humidity.

The longer it stays in low humidity, you’ll see more leaves turn brown.

A quick fix is to mist the plant.

Note that this is very temporary. So, you may need to end up misting 2 or 3 times a week. If the air is very dry where you live, you may need to do so daily.

This is why I prefer setting up a humidity tray or pebble tray.

Both are similar but just have different setups. They are free to make since you can use old items you have at home. And it takes just 15 or so minutes to make.

Plus, they’re hand-off. Just refill the water in the tray when it gets depleted.

Of course, you can always just invest in a humidifier.

How Often to Water Philodendron White Measure

The Philodendron White Measure is happiest when the soil stays consistently moist. It likes evenly moist soil.

But be careful not to overdo it and leave the plant is wet, mucky or soggy soil.

On the other hand, it also hates it if you allow the soil to go completely bone dry.

So, the key is to stay somewhere in the middle.

That said, the most important thing here is to avoid overwatering. This is dangerous since overwatering is the number cause of houseplant death.

Why?

It can lead to root rot.

Root rot happens when you add more water to soil that is still wet. So, after a while, the roots end up swimming in too much water.

This prevents them from breathing oxygen. And they will suffocate due to it.

If the water does not drain or recede soon enough, the shortage of air due to the excess moisture will kill the roots. They will suffocate to the death. Then, they will rot.

Rotten roots don’t function anymore.

And as long as the soil stays overwatered, more and more roots will suffocate, die and rot.

This results in the plant not being able to get enough moisture and nutrients from the soil since only a few healthy roots are left.

So, in the end, the plant cannot sustain itself. It gets weak and later dies.

This is why it is very important to always allow part of the soil to dry between waterings.

Wait until at least the top 2 inches of soil dries before you add more water.

Also, be careful in the winter since the cold weather, lack of sunshine and the plant’s inactivity will keep water wet much longer.

Therefore, cut back significantly on watering then.

Philodendron White Measure Potting Soil

Keep the Philodendron White Measure in moist, well-draining soil that is loose. It will grow at its best in rich organic soil with soil pH between 5.5 and 6.5.

Drainage is very important for this plant as it is susceptible to overwatering.

Avoid heavy soils or those that are designed to hold more water. These soils may work well for water-loving plants. But they are harmful for the Philodendron White Measure.

That’s because if they retain too much moisture, what happens is that the top section of the soil may feel dry.

Unfortunately, this will mislead you into thinking it is okay to water.

That’s because the bottom part of the soil will still be wet.

Why?

It retains water. So, its job is to give the roots the extra moisture.

However, in this case, the Philodendron White Measure does not like that extra moisture. Instead, it just want to get its drink. Then quickly dry off.

What ends up happening is you keep adding more water each time which results it too much moisture in the bottom part of the soil.

This results in root rot sooner or later.

In contrast, well-draining soil does the opposite.

It will hold some moisture to keep the roots hydrated. But it will quickly drain excess liquid to let the roots dry sooner than later.

In doing so, it allows you to avoid overwatering and waterlogged soil.

This is why an Aroid mix is ideal for the Philodendron White Measure. You can get a bag online or from a nursery.

Or you can make your own aroid mix at home as well. Here’s one recipe that works really well for me.

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

Then add some handfuls of charcoal.

That you get is some moisture retention from the potting soil and pet. But the perlite, bark and charcoal provide excellent drainage.

The bark and charcoal are also chunky which improves aeriation.

Fertilizer

For lush foliage and healthy growth, it is a good idea to use fertilizer.

The Philodendron White Measure will grow faster, produce more leaves and maintain its leaf variegations if fed properly.

Use a balanced fertilizer during its growing season.

This lasts between March through September when the weather is fairly warm. It is also when the plant will grow the fastest.

Therefore, it is important to give it sufficient nutrients to fuel its growth. Make sure to place it in bright, indirect light and provide enough water as well.

But with all 3, never overdo it.

Too much fertilizer will cause chemical burns that can damage the roots and leaves.
Excess sunlight can likewise scorch its leaves or cause them to fade or turn yellow.
Overwatering can lead to root rot.

Instead, give it what it needs. That’s it.

For fertilizer, once a month feeding is ideal. Dilute the application by 50% each time.

Don’t feed the plant in fall and in winter.

Pruning

The Philodendron White Measure will grow to about 1.5 to 2 feet tall. In most cases it will reach about 20 inches high and 20 inches wide.

Thus, is not a huge plant.

And it leaves are what make up most of its size above the pot.

Because of how beautiful its leaves are and since the plant becomes more gorgeous with lots of leaves, pruning is not really needed.

The only time you need to prune is when you see damaged, dead, old, discolored or diseased leaves.

How to Propagate Philodendron White Measure

Philodendron White Measure propagation is often done via stem cuttings, air layering or division.

All these methods work.

But they work in different ways. And you get different results as well in terms of what stage the new plant will be in after propagation.

That said, stem cuttings is the most popular because it the simplest and more straightforward.

Additionally, it has a very high success rate.

Here’s how to propagate the Philodendron White Measure from stem cuttings.

Start by choosing healthy stems. You can pick one or several depending on how many new plants you want to grow.
Take a sterile pair of scissors or pruning shears. Then cut the stem just below a node. Make sure each cutting has at least 1-2 nodes and several leaves.
Remove the bottom leaves to exposure more nodes.
Then plant the cutting into a pot with well-draining soil.
Water the soil and keep it moist. Also, place the pot in a well-lit location with no direct sunlight.

It takes around a month or so for the cutting or cuttings to root.

Just take care of it like you would the mother plant. In time it will grow. And you’ll need to repot it once it becomes root bound.

Alternatively, you can propagate the Philodendron White Measure in water as well.

With water propagation, place the cutting in a jar of water and keep the jar in bright, indirect light.

Replace the water every 1-2 weeks so it does not get cloudy.

When the roots grow to 1-2 inches or longer, you can move them from water to a pot with soil mix.

How to Repot or Transplant Philodendron White Measure

The Philodendron White Measure isn’t going to give you any major growth spurts. Neither is it going to grow into a very large plant like other philodendron varieties.

However, it will grow steadily.

This means that you’ll need to repot it every now and then. But not often.

Avoid repotting the plant unless there is a need to.

In most cases, you’ll only need to repot when the plant is root bound. This means it has outgrown its current pot and needs a larger one to continue to grow healthily.

Usually, this happens every 2 to 3 years.

But to know exactly when to repot, check for signs.

The most obvious are roots peeking out from the bottom of the pot. If you see these, it means they’re run out of space in the container and need more room beyond it.

Another hint is if you see roots creeping out from the creases between the soil and the pot on top of the soil.

If either is present, it is time to move the plant to a larger pot.

Wait until spring to do this. And choose a container that is one size larger (2 inches) than the current container.

Also have enough soil to replace the spent soil.

Is It Toxic/Poisonous to Humans, Cats & Dogs

Keep the Philodendron White Measure away from kids and pets. It is toxic to people, cats and dogs when ingested.

So, make sure it is out of their reach to avoid any possibility of accidentally eating the leaves or stems of the plant.

Philodendron White Measure Problems & Troubleshooting

Pests

The Philodendron White Measure can experience pests. And the most common include mealybugs, spider mites, aphids and scale.

These are sap sucking insects.

And while they aren’t harmful when there are only few of them. This is when you want to eradicate them.

That’s because they will populate very quickly.

And when they become an infestation, they not only inflict substantial damage but are also difficult to get rid of.

Use neem oil or insecticidal soap to treat these pests.

Diseases

Root rot caused by overwatering is the biggest threat to the plant there is.

That’s because damaged and rotten roots will affect the overall health of the plant.

And if too much of the root system has rotted, it won’t be able to support itself. At this point, there’s no saving the plant anymore.

Your only choice is to propagate it and start a new plant.

The mother plant will likely end up in the trash can sooner or later.

Therefore, avoid overwatering and waterlogged soil at all costs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is philodendron white measure the same as Birkin?

The Philodendron White Measure is also called the Philodendron Birkin. It is very easy to care for and low maintenance. The plant does well both indoors and outdoors. It enjoys medium to bright, indirect light. Keep the soil evenly moist and not wet. Make sure to allow the soil to dry in between waterings.

How do you take care of a white measure?

To take care of the Philodendron White Measure, keep the plant under bright, indirect light. You can likewise use artificial lighting to keep it healthy, although sunlight is best. Good lighting is important to maintain the plant’s lovely white variegations. The Philodendron White Measure is a tropical plant so keep it away from the cold. Water deeply but infrequently to keep soil moist. And feed with liquid fertilizer during spring and summer for optimum growth and leaf development.

How big does a philodendron White Wave grow?

A fully matured Philodendron White Measure can grow up to 3 feet high. Although in most cases, the plant will average around 1.5 to 2 feet tall and 1.5 to 2 feet wide.

Is philodendron White Wave rare?

The Philodendron White Wave, also known as the Philodendron White Measure, is a rare plant. It is highly sought for its uniquely beautiful variegated leaves. Also called the Philodendron Birkin, this plant features white pinstripe variegations on its dark green foliage. It is also easy to care for and low maintenance both indoors and outdoors.

Why is my Philodendron Birkin not white?

Your Philodendron Birkin may not be white because the leaves go through a variety of colors as they age. Younger, newer leaves will be white. And they’ll mature with white variegated foliage. But as they get older, the leaves slowly turn dark green.

How do you make a Philodendron Birkin More white?

Proper care is the best way to make a Philodendron Birkin more white. For more white strips on its green leaves, make sure the plant receives plenty of bright, indirect sunlight. Additionally, feed the plant with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer between March and September. As a final resort, you can propagate the plant by taking a stem cutting with at least 1-2 variegated leaves.

Philodendron White Measure Care – Light, Water, Soil and Propagation