{"product_id":"blushing-philodendron-philodendron-erubescens","title":"Blushing Philodendron - Philodendron erubescens","description":"\u003cp\u003ePhilodendron erubescens is the wild climbing species from Colombia behind many of the red leaved philodendrons in the trade, and it still earns a place in its own right. The name means blushing, and the colour sits in the details: purplish red leaf stalks, a coppery red flush on the underside of each leaf, and rosy sheaths that wrap new leaves as they emerge, then dry and drop. The upper surface is a deep glossy green, and the long, arrow shaped leaves get larger as the stem climbs.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThat climbing habit is the deciding factor. In a pot it needs a moss pole, a slab of timber or a trellis to grow up; without one the stem leans out and sprawls and the leaves stay small. In a warm garden it will climb a rough barked tree or a palm trunk, rooting onto it as it goes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eTraining it up a pole or a trunk\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSet the pole in the pot at planting time, because pushing one in later tears roots. Tie the stem to it loosely with soft ties every 20 to 30 centimetres, so the aerial roots grow into the pole rather than waving in the air. Once they take hold the plant holds itself up. When the stem reaches the top of the pole, either add another section or cut the tip back, which makes it shoot from lower down. The removed tip, with a node and an aerial root or two, roots easily in water or damp mix.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOutdoors, plant it beside a tree trunk in shade to part shade, in free draining soil enriched with compost. It is a plant for frost free gardens, and the host tree matters as much as the climate: rough bark for the roots to grip and a canopy that keeps the trunk shaded through summer afternoons. Where frost is likely, grow it indoors on a pole in a bright room away from direct sun. Give a balanced liquid fertiliser each month from the first new leaf in spring until growth stalls in autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCold, wet mix and sap\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eMost losses come from cold and wet together. Growth stops in winter and the mix stays damp for longer, so water only once the top few centimetres are dry, and keep pots off cold tiles. Keep the moss on the pole damp but let the potting mix itself dry back between waterings; a wet pole feeds the aerial roots, a wet pot rots the main ones. Hot summer sun scorches the leaves, starting as pale, papery patches. Mealybugs and scale sometimes settle in the leaf joints; wipe them off or treat with horticultural oil.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery part of the plant holds calcium oxalate crystals, so a leaf bitten by a dog, cat or toddler leaves the mouth stinging and swollen; stand the pot where none of them can reach it. The sap irritates skin as well, so wear gloves when pruning and wash your hands afterwards.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eErubescens and its relatives\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ca href=\"\/products\/pink-princess-philodendron-philodendron-pink-princess\"\u003ePink Princess Philodendron\u003c\/a\u003e is usually sold as a selection of this same species, with pink variegation on near black leaves, and it wants the same pole and the same care, with brighter light to hold its colour. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/andersons-red-philodendron-philodendron-andersons-red\"\u003eAndersons Red Philodendron\u003c\/a\u003e is another climber, carrying its strongest red in the young stems and new leaves instead, and it is just as frost tender. If you would rather have a plant that stands up without support, the self heading types such as Rojo Congo and Black Cardinal hold their own shape. Grown indoors on its pole, it sits comfortably with the other aroids in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/indoor-plants\"\u003eIndoor Plants\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3 class=\"pd-size-guidance\"\u003eChoosing a size\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis plant is supplied in one size, 300mm, at $119.00 per plant. The size shown is the pot it arrives in, which is the rootball, not the height of the plant. Not sure which to choose? Read our guide to \u003ca href=\"\/blogs\/news\/when-to-plant-trees-and-shrubs-australia\"\u003ewhen to plant in Australia\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Drop","offers":[{"title":"300mm","offer_id":67670338535793,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1017\/1049\/6113\/files\/blushing-philodendron-philodendron-erubescens.jpg?v=1791513640","url":"https:\/\/plantdrop.com.au\/products\/blushing-philodendron-philodendron-erubescens","provider":"Plant Drop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}