Here’s everything about Pink Princess Philodendron Care. If you want a pretty pink houseplant, then this is a perfect pick.
This beautiful pink cultivar of Philo is loved for deep green, heart-shaped foliage with bubblegum pink variegation. If you want to ensure the plant keeps its best color, then read everything about Pink Princess Philodendron Care in this informative article.
Botanical Name: Philodendron erubescens ‘Pink Princess’
Note: It is often confused with the Philodendron Pink Congo, but the variegation of ‘Pink Princess Philodendron‘ arises naturally while the pink congo’s variegation is temporary and fake–an effect of chemicals injected into the foliage.
How to Keep Colors Maintained on Pink Princess Philodendron?
For this variety of philodendron, you need a balanced fusion of green and pink. The green portion is important for photosynthesis. This plant has a habit of sometimes growing either completely pink or greenish leaves. The problem with the completely pink leaves is this reduces the plant’s ability to photosynthesize, whereas entirely dark green leaves don’t look that charming. To reduce this problem, you’ll have to keep both green and pink variegation in moderation by following this trick below:
If you find at least a couple or more new leaves are coming out entirely pink, prune the stems back above the node or leaf joint to encourage new green or variegated growth. Do remember, 2-3 completely pink leaves, along with a few green ones, will do just fine.
Apart from this, to maintain good variegation, here’s one more thing you can do–
Philodendron ‘Pink Princess’ requires plenty of bright filtered light to balance dark green and pink hues. You can also expose it to direct sun but make sure it is not intense mid-day. Also, avoid keeping the plant in the dark spot.
Propagating Pink Princess Philodendron
The simplest way to propagate pink princess philodendron is by stem cuttings:
Snip off 4-6 inches long cuttings from a healthy pink princess philodendron using sanitized scissors. Ensure to take the cuttings right below the leaf node. Dip the end in a rooting hormone and plant the cuttings in a well-draining potting mix.
Water well and place the pot in a greenhouse or warm spot where it gets bright and indirect light. The cuttings will form roots in 4-6 weeks, and you’ll be growing a new philodendron pink princess plant. For more details, watch a video here.
Best Pot Size for Growing Pink Princess Philodendron
Start pink princess philodendron in a 6 to 10 inches pot with a drainage hole at the bottom. As the plant matures, repot it into a bigger size container according to its growth.
Requirements for Growing Pink Princess Philodendron
Location
Choose a location that gets bright indirect light for healthy growth and variegation. Avoid exposing pink princess philodendron to direct afternoon sun ever, as it can burn the foliage. The best place would be a spot close to a window.
Soil
Use any well-draining growing medium like your regular houseplant mix; it can be rich in the organic matter if you like. Avoid using garden soil as it may drain poorly.
Water
Being native to the rainforests of South America, the pink princess philodendron loves to stay in moist soil. However, when you grow it indoors and in a pot, this changes.
You should water it thoroughly, but only when the soil seems a little dry. Avoid overwatering as it can lead to root rot, yellow leaves, and wilting.
Temperature
Pink princess philodendron flourishes at average room temperature. The ideal temperature range is around 55-95 F (13-35 C). If you can keep the temperature above 65 F (18 C), it will be great.
Also, protect the plant from cold drafts or direct heat. Do not place the plant near an open window in winter or in air-conditioning streams.
Support
Adding a moss pole to the pot will help the plant to attach its ariel roots to it, helping it climb and grow better. As this variety climbs onto trees in their native habitat, mimicking the same will make them flourish indoors!
Pink Princess Philodendron Care
Humidity
Like other tropical houseplants, when it comes pink princess philodendron care, it also requires some humidity to look pretty. However, it can still grow in a normal dry air room but if you want it to appear best, take care of the humidity.
Put the pot on a tray filled with pebbles and water but make sure the level of water is below the level of pebbles, or grouping houseplants together will work just fine as well. It does best in humidity around or above 40%. You can follow some other tips here as well to increase humidity.
Fertilizer
Use a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer in half of its recommended strength from February or March, once in three to four weeks. The frequency depends on the amount of light it is receiving. The more light, the more frequently you can fertilize, i.e., 2-3 weeks.
Stop feeding the plant around October if you live in cold areas, as the plant stops growing in the winter and goes into a period of dormancy.
Note: Don’t overfertilize because it is a slow grower.
Re-Potting
Re-pot pink princess philodendron once every 2-3 years, depending on the growth. Use a 2-3 inches bigger pot than the old one with a fresh growing medium. Also, before re-potting, trim the damaged or rotten roots.
Pruning
Snip away yellowing and damaged foliage from time to time, and that’s all you need to keep it looking at the best of its shape.
Pest and Diseases
Pink princess philodendron is vulnerable to aphids, mealybugs, scale, fungus gnats, and spider mites. Use insecticidal soap to take care of them.
To keep potential diseases and fungal issues at bay, avoid overwatering the plant.
Is Pink Princess Philodendron Toxic?
Pink princess philodendron is mildly toxic to pets, according to the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Its sap has calcium oxalate crystals that can cause irritation to the skin or mouth and drooling, if ingested. However, these symptoms subside on their own.
