20 Types of Philodendrons – Popular & Rare Varieties
Variety is the spice of life and philodendrons certainly do live up to this adage. As foliage plants, philodendrons stand out with different types of leaf sizes, shapes, patterns, and even leaf colors.
But beyond that, philodendrons are the ultimate apartment plant — they’re so easy to grow and keep happy that anyone can grow them.
If you don’t know where to start, here are 20 types of philodendrons you can grow at home, in your office or studio apartment:
Philodendron Xanadu
Admittedly not the most typical example of a Philodendron to headline this list, the Xanadu is a dramatic-looking foliage plant that will immediately draw you in.
The deeply lobed narrow leaves and upright growth pattern make this plant an instant hit among low-maintenance tropical plants.
Although it can reach a height of almost 4 feet, the plant grows as a groundcover in its natural habitat making it prone to get wider than taller.
Heartleaf Philodendron
An iconic example of philodendrons, the heartleaf variety is an endearing plant with trailing vines and densely packed heart-shaped leaves.
It’s a forgiving plant that will tolerate some neglect and requires only little care to thrive. This philodendron looks best planted in a hanging basket, with its vines hanging down the sides of the pot.
The vines can grow to 4-5 feet indoors, but they can be cut back if they become too leggy or too long.
Philodendron ‘Lemon Lime’
The Lemon Lime philo is a cultivar of the classical heart-shaped philo, except it sports lemon yellow and lime green colored leaves.
It has the same cascading vines, making this plant another ideal choice for hanging baskets. As for its care requirements, the colors of the leaves don’t make this plant more needy, so it stays happy with the same care you would afford the Heartleaf philodendron.
Philodendron ‘Prince of Orange’
Philodendron Prince of Orange
If trailing foliage plants aren’t your jam, the ‘Prince Orange’ variety is a type of philodendron that grows upright with a cluster of leaves forming around a central stem.
The appeal of this variety is that freshly emerged leaves are orange and turn lime green as they mature. The petioles, however, are a deep red or light maroon, creating a spectacle of colors.
At around 2 feet tall and two feet wide, the plant stays upright without stalks. This is an affordable and easy-care plant that I recommend for all skill levels.
Philodendron ‘Brasil’
This variegated philodendron features leaves with a lime green center and splotches of yellow across the leaves.
Unlike other philodendrons that might adapt to low light conditions, the Brasil needs bright light to stay colorful. Without light, the variegations will disappear, and the leaves will turn green.
Philodendron ‘Moonlight’
With wide, pointed leaves, the ‘Moonlight’ variety features lime-green or sunny yellow leaves. It’s an upright growing variety that has a shrub-like growth pattern. It stays under two feet, making it an excellent houseplant.
Philodendron Micans
A trailing variety with heart-shaped leaves, the Micans enjoys bright light, but not direct sun. It grows best in a hanging basket, with its light green and bronze leaves cascading on the side of the pot. Young leaves start out with a velvety texture, turning smooth as they mature.
Philodendron Pedatum
The ‘Pedatum’ variety has deeply lobed leaves, each leaf with 5 lobes, reminding of the oak-leaf pattern, which is why this philodendron is also known as the Oak-leaf philodendron.
The leaves don’t start out lobed, but small and oval-shaped. Lobes appear only later as the plant matures.
It’s a hardy plant that will grow to about 3 feet tall.
Philodendron Brandtianum
A variegated philodendron variety, the ‘Brandtianum’ features olive-green leaves with silvery variegations between the veins. It’s an attractive and elegant plant that otherwise resembles the heartleaf philodendron.
Its trailing veins can grow to 4 to 5 feet, while its leaves can reach 12 inches in length. Unlike other variegated philodendrons, the Brandtianum maintains its variegation even in low light conditions.
If you’re pining for a variegated philodendron but light conditions aren’t particularly bright in your home, the Philodendron Brandtianum might be just the thing for you.
Philodendron Bipennifolium
If heartleaf philodendrons are too boring for you, check out the Bipennifolium. This philo type features deeply lobed leaves, which oddly form the head shape of a horse.
It’s a climbing variety that requires stalking so that it doesn’t flop over. The plant grows relatively fast, and it can reach heights of up to 7 feet, although, indoors, its height is usually capped at 3 feet.
Don’t expose the delicate leaves of this plant to direct sunlight because they will scorch. Indirect light or filtered light is best for this philodendron variety.
Philodendron ‘Bob Cee’
View this post on Instagram
With long, dark green leaves that are deeply lobed, the ‘Bob Cee’ variety is another interesting type of philodendron that will certainly stand out in your home.
It’s a climber variety and seeds a stake to keep it growing upright. It’s tall growing, its leaves alone can reach 3 feet in length.
Philodendron Hastatum
Also known as the Silver Sword Philodendron because of its long, arrowhead leaves and light silvery green color, the Hastatum is a vining philodendron that can reach 10 feet in length.
Although it enjoys moisture and humidity, it’s prone to root rot when overwatered. Make sure to plant in a well-draining potting mix and plant in terracotta pots instead of plastic to help absorb excess moisture.
Philodendron ‘Burle Marx’
With shiny elongated leaves, this variety forms clumps that grow in an upright position. It can grow 2 feet tall and about the same in width. It’s a simple variety, easy to source and easy to keep happy even indoors.
Philodendron Birkin
A veritable designed philodendron, the Birkin features dark green leaves with thin, radiating stripes that are a much lighter green than the rest of the leaf.
Besides the appealing pattern on the leaves, the Birkin has a slow growth pattern, but will reach around 2 feet when mature.
Don’t overwater this plant, but also don’t allow the potting mix to completely dry out, or your Philo may also dry out prematurely.
Philodendron Grazielae
View this post on Instagram
The Grazielae is a twist on the heartleaf philodendron, featuring heart-shaped leaves that are a bit more rounded. The sturdy stems carry small leaves that grow in a centralized, bushy pattern.
Although it has a slow growth rate, eventually, as the plant matures, it will need a stake to support its vines.
Philodendron Melanochrysum
With about the same color scheme as the Birkin variety, the Melanochrysum also features dark green leaves with bright green to yellow primary veins.
The leaves start out small and oval-shaped, then turn velvety and almost two feet long. Because it’s a climbing variety, it needs support to grow, eventually capping its height at around 4 feet.
Philodendron ‘Florida Ghost’
View this post on Instagram
A hybrid variety, the leaves of the Florida Ghost are similar to that of the Pedatum, although they come in different shades. This variety produces creamy green or hazy green leaves, often featuring variegations as well.
To bring out the color and potential variegation, it needs more light exposure, although only to bright, indirect light.
Leaves start out oval-shaped and come into their deeply lobed pattern as the plant matures and grows.
Philodendron ‘Thai Sunrise’
View this post on Instagram
Another beautiful hybrid philodendron, the Thai Sunrise features paddle-shaped leaves that grow around a central trunk. The leaves feature lime green colors in contrast with deep green margins.
It’s a beloved variety, not only for its colorful leaves but also for its compact growth pattern that make it the ultimate tabletop plant.
Philodendron Black Cardinal
Although not black, the leaves on the Black Cardinal are certainly a deep shade of burgundy that can play tricks on your eyes in certain light conditions.
The stems are a deep red, while fresh, unfurling leaves have a pinkish hue. All things put together, this is an extremely elegant and imposing variety.
The paddle-shaped leaves grow in an upright position, eventually creating a bushy plant that gets to about 3 feet tall.
Philodendron Mayoi
View this post on Instagram
To finish with another interesting variety, the Mayoi features deeply lobed leaves, whose long and narrow lobes look like long fingers. The lobes have a symmetrical distribution on each side, resulting in a plant that looks put together and in no way chaotic.
The stems of this philo are strong and wind into different shapes. Although it can stand alone, it’s best to offer it some support, so that it doesn’t wander liberally where you don’t want it to climb.
The Mayoi needs bright, indirect light so that it doesn’t grow leggy or stretched out. Rotate periodically for evenly distributed growth.
Wrap-Up
Even if you’re picky about plants, philodendrons boast the kind of variety that will keep everyone happy, no matter how choosy or strict. Despite their variety, philodendrons remain low to moderate maintenance plants.
It’s important to get their light requirements right, along with watering and potting mix requirements to prevent potential root rot issues caused by overwatering and poor drainage.
Hi, I'm Amy, a devoted horticulturist and the creator of PlantIndex.com, where I use my expertise to help beginners foster their green thumbs. My blog is a vibrant community where I unravel the complexities of gardening and share my profound love for nature. 
