Burgundy Princess Philodendron Care InfographicBurgundy princess philodendron is an extraordinary plant with funky pink and green leaves. It is the perfect plant for anyone looking to add an explosion of color to their home and garden.
We have asked philodendron experts to give us their best tips and tricks to grow this plant successfully at home.
Continue reading to learn what these experts have to say.
Contents
What Is Burgundy Princess Philodendron?
Burgundy princess philodendron is a variegated type of Philodendron erubescens plant. It is also known as the blushing philodendron because of the beautiful color of its foliage. It has dark green and burgundy leaves, and some light pink spots might be sprinkled across these leaves too.
Burgundy Princess Philodendron Care
Philodendron burgundy princess care entails keeping it under partial or dappled bright light. Water it once every week when the top inch of the soil dries. Make sure the soil you are using for this plant is well-draining and the humidity levels are more than 50 percent. Around 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature range for growing this plant.
Read more about these care needs below.
– Water Requirements
Your philodendron burgundy plant needs to be watered regularly. Its soil must ideally be kept moist all the time. It can tolerate small periods of drought quite well, but take care not to make this a habit.
– When To Water
You should water your philodendron burgundy plant when the top one inch of its soil becomes dry. Stick your finger into the soil up to an inch deep. If you feel as if it is dry and crumbly, then it’s time to water it to prevent underwatering.
Another method is to invest in a moisture meter. Insert your moisture meter into the soil. Your soil should be at level four at all times preferably. If the value on the meter comes out below this, water it.
You will most likely be watering the plant once every week during summer.
During the rest months in the fall and winter, decrease the frequency of watering to prevent overwatering and root rot.
– How To Water
Here are some tips to follow when watering this plant:
- It is best to provide filtered or distilled water, which is the safest water for this plant. If you must use tap water, have it checked. A laboratory will tell you whether your tap water is safe for use or not.
- Allow the water to stay at room temperature for a while before use. This allows the chlorine present in most waters to evaporate.
- Always pour water on the soil. Don’t pour water on the plant as a whole. The roots and the soil need water, not the leaves.
- Pour water slowly and allow it to soak all the way through within the soil. Notice when the water starts to drain out of the hole at the bottom of the pot and stop as soon as this happens.
- Drain the water collected in the pan under the pot. If left sitting in this water-filled pan, your plant might develop root rot.
– Light Requirements
This plant needs to receive partial or dappled light in order to grow. This light should only be of medium to moderate intensity. A minimum of six-hour exposure to light is a must.
Read below to learn some more useful tips.
– When Growing the Plant Indoors
Don’t keep this plant in a dark room with low light. The room in question should preferably have large bright windows in it. You can assuredly place this plant near the eastern-side window. The direct early-morning sunlight is well-tolerated, and for the rest of the day, your plant will be bathed in indirect, bright light.
You can also place this plant near a western-side window. This window also receives direct sunlight only for a few hours in the evening. In the case of a southern-facing window, keep the plant at some distance from the windows.
– When Growing the Plant Outdoors
If you are keeping this plant outdoors, then place it under the shade of a larger tree. This re-creates the natural dappled light that it receives in its natural habitat.
A north-facing wall is a safe place to keep this plant near. This wall keeps the plant from the harsh sunlight all day long.
– Soil Requirements
This plant needs soil that drains quickly and doesn’t get water-logged. It should also be able to retain an adequate amount of moisture without being runny or soggy. A third requirement of the perfect soil is that it needs to be rich in organic nutrients.
You can try to look for commercial soils that contain these important elements, but an alternative is creating your own mix. Continue reading to find out how to make your own ideal potting mix for the burgundy plant.
– Use 40 Percent Coco Coir or Peat Moss
They add volume and aid in moisture retention. These are two organic components that soak up water through sponging action. When the rest of the soil dries up, they slowly release this water. Hence, they prevent unnecessary water retention as well.
– Use 20 Percent Perlite
Perlite loosens up the soil and creates spaces in it. This allows water and air to easily circulate within the soil.
– Add 30 Percent Orchid Bark
Medium-sized chunks of orchid bark open up spaces within the soil. They create air pockets that improve circulation within the soil. Water drainage is also improved.
Moreover, the loose soil makes it easy for the roots to breathe and grow unimpeded within the soil. Make sure your bark pieces are neither too large nor too small.
– Add 10 Percent Worm Castings or Compost
This last 10 percent of the soil adds much-needed nutrients to it. You can use either homemade or store-bought compost. You can also add worm castings. These two are the most useful way of adding organic nutrients to your soil.
– Temperature Requirements
This plant needs 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures all year round. Extremes of temperature are not well tolerated. This is especially true when the temperature falls below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which is when the plant goes into transplant shock and stops growing.
Here are several things you need to take care of:
- Whether it is during summer or winter time, move this plant indoors to protect it. This is because indoor temperatures are usually within moderate levels.
- Even when placed indoors, you should keep this plant away from cold drafts of air. Move it well away from air vents, air conditioners, and open windows at night.
– Humidity Requirements
This plant needs 50 percent humidity at the very least. The more humidity you can provide it, the better. This is especially relevant in the summer season, when your plant is losing water at a quick pace.
Want to learn some time-tested methods of making sure your plant grows under high humidity levels? Check out these top tips and tricks:
- Move the plant to the bathroom or the kitchen. These are the most humid areas in most houses.
- Buy a humidifier if you can spare some expenses. It automatically maintains the ideally required moisture levels in the house.
- Make a DIY moisture tray and place it under your plant. It is simply a shallow tray with pebbles for resting the pot on, but make sure that the water in the tray shouldn’t touch the pot. It evaporates and improves the humidity around the plant by 30 to 40 percent.
- Even if you move a few plants close together in a corner, that is effective too. A greenhouse-like environment is created, and humidity levels will increase around this group of plants.
– Fertilizing Requirements
Fertilize your burgundy plant only moderately from early spring until early fall. There is no need to fertilize this plant during its dormancy period in the fall. Better use a liquid fertilizer every fourth to the sixth week.
Learn some important tips regarding fertilizing below.
- We recommend a liquid fertilizer with a balanced ratio of all the nutrients. The NPK value given at the back of the fertilizer package denotes this. Make sure you use a fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 5:5:5 or 10:10:10.
- Make sure to always dilute the purchased fertilizer to half its recommended strength. You can use common water to dilute it.
- Also, water the roots before fertilizing. This is a time-tested trick to prevent chemical burns in the plant.
- Another option is to use a slow-release fertilizer. These commonly come in the form of pellets. Bury them in the soil, and over three to four months, they will continue to release their nutrients.
– Pruning
Always use clean, sterilized instruments for pruning your house plants. You don’t want to spread infections around. We recommend you prune right before the start of the fall rest period so the plant has enough time to recover.
Take a good look at the plant and cut off any weak, diseased or old stems and leaves. Make sure the instruments you use are sharp. The incisions also need to be made at an angle.
Pruning is beneficial for the plant as it reduces extra volume, improving air circulation. It also reroutes nutrients to the younger leaves.
Propagation
You can propagate the burgundy plant easily by taking six-inch-long stem cuttings. You can also divide the roots of the plant and repot them individually. Read all the steps of both processes below.
– Propagate Through Stem Cuttings
Here are the steps to follow:
- Choosing the right stem for propagation is of utmost importance. Make sure this stem is healthy and not infested by pests. A stem with greater variegations will also produce a plant with more variegations.
- Make sure that the gardening tools you are using are clean and not infected. This will prevent the accidental spread of infection from a diseased plant to your cutting. We mostly use 70 percent isopropyl alcohol for disinfecting our gardening tools.
- Make an oblique incision to take the cutting for propagation. Cut right below a leaf node. Your cutting should have a length of at least 6 inches.
- Allow the cutting to dry for a while. This might take one to two days, then apply rooting hormone to the cut end.
- Take a clear jar of water and fill it with clean water. Completely submerge your stem cutting in this water.
- Take the jar somewhere bright, warm and humid. Keep it there for the whole duration of propagation, and keep changing the water in the jar every week without fail.
- In four to five weeks, your stem cutting will have a full-fledged system of roots. You can now transfer this mini plant to a pot.
– Propagate Through Plant Division
You can also propagate your philodendron plant by division. In order to do this, you must also take it out of the soil. It’s best to carry out this type of propagation when you are repotting the plant. Here are the steps to follow for this process:
- Water the plant copiously with water 24 hours prior to division. This will soften the soil and make your work easier.
- When it’s time to carry out the operation, loosen the soil carefully. Pick up the root ball and keep raking the rest of the soil to free the remaining roots without damaging them.
- After you have taken the plant out, wash the roots carefully. Observe the roots and separate individual roots along with their stems. You can divide as many roots as you like.
- Take a pot that is no more than two inches larger in diameter than the root ball of your divided plant. Fill it with the appropriate soil.
- Plant your newly divided plant in this fresh soil. Keep it in a warm, bright place. Keep the soil consistently moist for the first two to three months. This allows your baby plant time to adjust to its new home.
- The best time to carry out propagation by division is early to late spring, so that by the time the winter rest period arrives, your plant will have a well-established root system already.
Problems
Some common problems you might face with this plant are diseases like root rot and Erwinia blight. You might also face leaves drooping and pest attacks. This plant can also produce toxicity upon ingestion.
Find out more in detail below.
– Toxicity
Like all other Philodendron plants, this one is also toxic for both humans and pets like cats and dogs. This toxicity is due to the presence of calcium oxalate crystals in all parts of the plant.
Accidentally eating and chewing on any part of this plant produces toxicity. Common symptoms of toxicity include vomiting, abdominal cramps, and severe burning in the mouth. In rare cases, airway compromise has also been reported.
The sap of this plant will produce rashes on your skin. In susceptible individuals, proper allergies might be produced. Learn what protective measures you can take when dealing with this plant:
- Always wear full-sleeved clothes and gloves when handling this plant. This is especially important when you are cutting or pruning the plant.
- Keep the plant away from the reach of little children and curious pets.
- Always wash the gardening tools you use on this plant after use. The sap present on them might touch your skin and produce a rash.
– Root Rot
Overwatering the plant, constantly keeping its soil runny, and poor drainage all lead to the development of fungal root rot. The plant will smell bad and rot spots will appear on the stem and leaves. The leaves will also turn a sickly yellow and begin to fall off.
Treating root rot is very difficult. You need to take the plant out of its pot and cut off the diseased and rotten parts with a sharp knife. Apply a potent copper-based fungicide.
Repot the plant in new fresh soil and pot, but this time you need to make sure that the plant is not overwatered. Your new soil also needs to be well-draining and loose. Follow the steps above to know how to water your plant properly and prevent this from happening again.
– Leaf Drooping
Sometimes, your philodendron leaves will begin to droop down and appear unable to hold their weight. Both over and underwatering might be responsible for it.
Touch the surface of the soil. If it appears excessively wet and runny, then your plant is being overwatered. The pot will also appear heavier than usual.
If the surface of the soil appears dry and is crumbly upon touch, then your plant is underwatered. Water it immediately and then stick to a regular watering schedule.
– Erwinia Blight
Erwinia blight is a common bacterial disease that affects the Philodendron plant. It is quite a serious disease that can destroy your plant in the span of a few weeks. The most common causes why it occurs are overwatering, over-fertilizing, as well as hot and humid conditions.
Your plant will begin to smell like fish. Irregular black-colored spots will erupt all over the leaves and stems of the plant. These spots will turn into holes over time, and rapid exfoliation occurs in the late stage.
Isolate the infected plant and make sure to improve its drainage and humidity. Cut off the diseased parts of the plant and apply copper-based bactericides daily. However, keep in mind that despite your best efforts, your plant might still not survive.
– Pests
The most common pest for household plants are mealybugs, aphids and spider mites. These are all sap-eating parasites. They weaken your plant and cause its leaves to turn yellow and droop.
These pests are most commonly found to be hiding under the sheaths of the stem and leaves. The leaves of the affected plant are often coated with a sugary substance called honeydew that then attracts fungal mold. Occasionally, puncture marks can be observed on the leaves as well.
Find out how to get rid of pests below:
- The first thing you need to do is to remove the infected plant away from all your other plants. These pests are very quick to jump from one plant to another.
- Next, wash the plant thoroughly using insecticidal soap and water. This is to wash off as many pests as possible. Use a toothbrush to get rid of the more stubbornly-attached ones.
- Use a Q-tip to apply neem oil on the colonies of the pests and the affected leaves.
- Spray a mild but effective insecticide on the plant. Follow the instructions given on the back of the label.
– Identification
A lot of people confuse this plant with the pink princess philodendron. The major difference between Philodendron pink princess and the burgundy princess is in the color of their respective foliage. The leaves of the pink princess philodendron are pale pink in color.
Compared to the pink princess plant, the burgundy plant has leaves that have much darker variegations. These variegations are mostly of a hot pink or purplish pink in color.
FAQ
Is Burgundy Princess Philodendron the same as a Pink Princess?
Burgundy Princess Philodendron and Pink Princess are two different varieties of Philodendron. While they share some similarities in appearance, they have distinct genetic differences that set them apart from each other.
Can you increase Burgundy Princess Philodendron variegation?
The variegation of Burgundy Princess Philodendron cannot be increased as it is determined by genetics.
How fast does the Burgundy Princess Philodendron grow?
The growth rate of Burgundy Princess Philodendron is moderate, typically around 1-2 new leaves per month under optimal conditions.
Conclusion
Here is a brief summary of this guide:
- The burgundy plant variety of the Philodendron species has green and deep pink leaves. This plant needs bright dappled or indirect light. Keep it away from direct sunlight to prevent sunburn.
- Water once every week during hot summers. When the top inch of the soil dries up, then it’s time to water this plant. Make sure the soil has all the essential nutrients i.e perlite, peat, bark and compost.
- Around 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature range for growing this plant. More than 50 percent humidity is a must.
- It is very easy to propagate this plant. You can either use stem cuttings or divide the plant through its roots. Early to late springtime is the most suitable time for propagation.
- The most common pest for the burgundy princess philodendron are mealybugs, aphids and spider mites, so make sure you take the appropriate steps to prevent an infestation or pest attack.
With only a little time and effort, you can get this gorgeous plant to produce its exuberant foliage all year round!
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