How to Care for Philodendron Sodiroi?

Native to French Guiana, Philodendron Sodiroi is a fast-growing climber that is best known for its gorgeous heart-shaped leaves with silver colored patterns.

To find out how to take care of your Philodendron Sodiroi, I invite you to read my detailed guide on propagation methods, potting requirements and other useful care tips.

Size & Growth

Philodendron Sodiroi enjoys both the indoors and the outdoors. It grows quickly and becomes quite large in size.

Given the right conditions, it grows 1 to 3 feet per season and also rewards you with a great amount of new leaves of small nodes. The width of a Philodendron Sodiroi is usually twice its height.

As a climber, this plant performs well in hanging baskets, round pots or moss covered totems. You can also let the climb up to windows, trellis or spread to the side of the containers.

Light Requirements

Similar to most Philodendron plants, Sodiroi enjoys indirect light, but it can easily adapt to any other light conditions as well. To help it thrive, place your plant somewhere bright, where it can get plenty of sunlight.

While it can survive in low light conditions, your Sodiroi won’t be as glossy as it could be in an ideal environment. Also, the leaves will stop spreading and the growth of the plant will significantly slow down.

Bright light is undoubtedly inevitable for a beautiful growth, but be careful, do not place your plant directly to the sunlight. If your plant is exposed to strong sunlight, it can easily burn the leaves.

Watering

Watering Philodendron plants doesn’t require much fuss. The key is to keep the soil moist so your Sodiroi can get the right amount of hydration.

Avoid overwatering, as this can lead to water intoxications and root rot, which can damage the plant seriously. To prevent this, let the soil dry out a bit before you water it again.

If your Philodendron plant is not being watered properly, it will immediately give you a sign: leaves turning brown means your plant needs watering, while yellow leaves are the clear sign of damage done by overwatering.

Soil Type

The go-to soil for your Philodendron Sodiroi is a good-quality airy soil mix that is well-draining. You can use a potting mixture of humus sand and peat; these are especially good for climber plants.

You can also combine perlite, sterilized garden loam or coarse sand with peat moss. Whichever combination you choose, always make sure that the soil is moist and never completely dried out.

Temperature & Humidity

Regarding temperature, the ideal range for Philodendron Sodiroi is between 55-80 °F. As a cold grower plant, Sodiroi plants perform the best under colder temperatures.

Try to maintain moisture around your plant in order to keep humidity levels up. The ideal humidity level for your Philodendron plant is at least 60% or above. Keep in mind: the more humidity, the better growth.

To reach the ideal humidity level, mist your plant or place a pebble tray of water under them so the evaporating water can reach your Sodiroi.

During the colder months the humidity level usually drops. To improve humidity around your plant, shower it once or twice a week.

Fertilizing

Use a slow-release or liquid fertilizer made for houseplants to help your Sodiroi grow. The best time to fertilize your Philodendron is during the summer and spring period.

Feed your plant every two weeks and it will surely show some results soon. As the colder months arrive, you can reduce the fertilization to every 3 to 4 weeks.

Potting & Repotting

Before potting or repotting a Philodendron Sodiroi, the very first step is to choose the right pot. Just like many Philodendron plants, your Sodiroi needs proper drainage as well, so I strongly advise choosing a pot with drainage holes at the bottom.

You can plant your Sodiroi in a terracotta pot, but basically you are free to use any other pot you like. The one important aspect is to make sure that it has drainage holes where the excess water can leave the pot.

Also, make sure that the pot you choose is big enough so your plant can comfortably stretch and grow. Aim for one that is at least one size larger than the previous pot.

How to Propagate Philodendron Sodiroi?

When it comes to propagating your Philodendron Sodiroi, cutting the stems is the way to go. Here is the step-to-step guide on how propagate your Philodendron Sodiroi by stem cuttings:

1. Check the mother plant and try to find a healthy stem that has at least three large leaves on it. Leaves are highly important, because they will help the fresh cut to absorb sunlight.
2. Prepare a sharp knife, scissors or pruning shears, and cut a 3 to 6 inches long stem right below a node.
3. The best spot to cut is at the joint near the central crown.
4. Once you have the stem, water the mother plant immediately to reduce stress due cutting.
5. Take the freshly cut stem and put in the soil 8 inches deep.
6. Moisten the soil properly and place the pot in bright, but indirect sunlight.
7. In about two weeks you will notice new roots.

To give you a further tip, rub the knife, scissors or pruning shears you will use in alcohol before you cut the stem. You can also hold the chosen tool under a flame for a couple of seconds.

This way you can ensure that there aren’t any contaminants or pathogens to damage your new plant.

Wrapping Up

This silver green tropical plant is quite easy to take care of, yet its rare beauty is hard to compare to others. It is fast-growing, easy to propagate and thanks to its impressive growth Philodendron Sodiroi always enhances the look of the environment it is a part of.

The glossy appearance of Sodiroi plants can be a great addition to your home, garden or patio, where you can enjoy the striking colors of the beautiful heart-shaped leaves.