How to Care for Pink Princess Philodendron?
If you want to add a splash of color to the greenery of philodendrons, the Philodendron Pink Princess is a uniquely colored hybrid that stands out as a sensation among the fans of this plant.
Its leaves are green and arrow-shaped, featuring variegation and splashes of shades of pink and red.
Despite being named a ‘Princess’, you won’t be dealing with a fussy plant. Like most other philo plants, this too is easy to grow.
You can read all about it in my plant care tips below.
Size & Growth
Outdoors, in its natural habitat, this plant can climb to great heights. It’s a vining variety that will climb and trail under the right circumstances.
While the indoor environment can closely mimic those in their natural habitat, the plant doesn’t typically grow higher than 3 feet. In fact, most Philo Pink Princesses will have an average height of around 25 inches.
A reason why it’s a sought-after plant for apartments is because it has a slower growth pattern indoors, and so it requires little maintenance.
Light Requirements
It’s important to make sure that your philodendron pink princess receives optimal sunlight. For the pink princess, optimal means bright, indirect light, or dappled light.
You should guard the plant from direct sunlight by keeping it a few feet away from any sunny window. If the plant is exposed to gentle, early morning sun or late afternoon sun, even if direct, it’s unlikely to cause any damage to the plant.
But full sun will damage the leaves, causing them to brown and die. When the plant is kept indoors, it’s easier to guard it from the strong rays of the sun.
Outdoors, things may be a bit trickier, so it’s best to find a semi-shaded spot or a spot with dappled sun for your plant, so the leaves won’t be directly blasted by the rays of the sun.
Watering
Philodendron Pink Princess can live in water as well, but potted plants are by far the most common. If you do venture to grow your philo princess in water, know that lukewarm rainwater works best.
If you’re going to keep it in a potting medium, make sure to follow my watering recommendations. Overwatering is a common mistake that beginners will make when watering this plant.
Here’s what you should know about watering your pink princess philodendron:
- Water only when the top soil feels dry (check this by sticking your fingertip into the soil).
- Water until you see water trickling out of the draining holes.
- Don’t water when the top of the sol still feels moist.
- Reduce watering during winter.
Depending on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, you may need to water your philo less frequently or more often.
Always check the dryness level of the soil, which will be a good indicator whether your plant needs watering or not.
Know that philodendrons typically tolerate underwater much better than overwatering.
Soil Type
The ideal soil type for philodendron plants involves a high content of organic matter. It’s also well-draining and not prone to compaction.
Using regular, all-purpose potting soil is not recommended. This soil will get too saturated with water not allowing it to percolate easily.
Instead, the potting medium of philodendrons should have peat-based soil, perlite, or vermiculite. You can use orchid substrate or African violet substrate, both being excellent for Philodendron Pink Princess as well.
Temperature & Humidity
Ensure your Pink Princess a temperature range between 65 F-78 °F. Don’t expose it to frost, not even to temperatures below 60 F.
You need to watch out for cold windows, AC units, and other sources of cold or even extreme heat. Exposing your philo to very hot temperatures will also cause damage.
If you want your philo to have lush and glossy leaves, humidity is essential. When the air is too dry in your home, you may need to increase humidity levels. Philodendrons are tropical plants and thrive in a high humidity environment.
Fertilizing
I don’t generally recommend fertilizing your philodendrons unless it doesn’t develop as it should or displays signs of lacking essential nutrients.
If all of its requirements are properly met, you may get away without using any fertilizer. If you still want to be on the safe side, you can use a slow release fertilizer during spring and summer.
A weak liquid fertilizer once a month in spring and summer or every 8 weeks is also a good option.
Potting & Repotting
Because the Pink Princess does not exhibit a fast growth pattern, you may not need to repot only after a couple of years of growth.
Make sure that any pot you use is fitted with draining holes so that it allows for excess water to trickle out of the pot and leave the soil just moist not soggy.
How to Propagate Philodendron Pink Princess?
As a climbing plant, this philodendron gives you plenty of opportunities for propagation. You can use stem cuttings or propagate through division when repotting the plant.
Harvest stem cuttings in spring or summer when the plant is actively growing. Stem cuttings harvested during the growth season will offer the highest success rate of multiplication.
Stem cuttings require rooting in water or moist soil. Kept in moist soil, in warmth and out of direct sunlight, roots should start to form in 6-8 weeks.
You can divide the plant when repotting it. You’re going to need to gently take apart the root ball and make divisions so that each division has a corresponding healthy stem. Simply put these divisions into a new pot and they should continue producing new growths.
Wrapping Up
Philodendron Pink Princess is truly a ‘princess’ of its kind. Its uniquely variegated leaves and apartment-friendly size make it a popular choice among plant lovers.
It doesn’t require any extra care compared to other philodendron varieties. Therefore, if you’ve already owned philodendrons, you’ll have an easy time caring for this variety too.
All the precautions that apply for philos, apply to this plant too including preventing overwatering, exposure to frost and direct sunlight.