Caring for Your Pink Princess Philodendron: A Beginner’s Guide

The pink leaves of the plant are perfect to add to your household plant collection. The plant is beautiful and can be the center of attention for your guests. 

The beautiful natural coloration of plants increases the beauty of your home. Insufficient knowledge can cause harm to your plant. 

In this article, you will learn everything important regarding the pink princess philodendron. 

Understanding Your Pink Princess Philodendron

Pink princess philodendron is the top priority of many plant collectors. The plant comes with green heart-shaped leaves with bubblegum pink variegation. People often confuse the pink princess and the pink congo philodendron. The pink princess is a plant who have pink leaves naturally while pink congo leaves are injected with chemicals to give them color. The plant is native to South America. The scientific name of this plant is Philodendron erubescens ‘pink princess’. The plant belongs to the family of Araceae. The plant can grow up to 4 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. The plant grows best in gloomy and well-drained soil.  The preference for soil pH is acidic and the bloom time of this plant is spring and summer. 

The plant itself has a great aesthetic appeal. The beautiful green plants with pink variegation are the center of attraction. The plant is specifically bred to have pink coloration. The plant is rare and comes with a high pricing tag. 

Optimal Growing Conditions

Here is the guide on how to take care of your pink princess philodendron: 

Light requirements 

The plant needs sacral hours of bright indirect light to have perfect variegation. The plant can also tolerate 4 to 5 hours of direct sunlight. Leaving the plant in more exposure to light can cause leaves to burn.  Place the plant where a sufficient amount of light is available. If you do not have the right spot you can use the plant lights. 

Watering Your Pink Princess

Your plant needs water every 1 to 2 times in a week during summer and string. In winter the growth of plants is slow so they do not need much water. You can water your plant once every 2 weeks. Make sure the soil is dry before watering or it can cause root rot. 

Temperature and Humidity

The pink princess philodendron does good in household temperatures and humid levels. However, these plants enjoy more humid conditions if available. This plant needs a temperature between 65 °F to 79 °F. If you notice dry soil and leaves try to increase humidity around the plant. 

Plant Care and Maintenance

Here are the things you should keep in consideration while caring for philodendron: 

Soil and Repotting

The plant enjoys airy and well-drained soil that can hold needed moisture for the plant. You can choose the potting soil, one part of orchid bark and one part of perlite would be great. 

You can repot the plant when its roots are outgrow from the potting container. It can happen every 1 to 3 years depending on the growth of the plant. Repot the plant but use a 3 to 4 inches bigger pot compared to the previous one. 

Fertilizer 

Fertilize your plant by using a balanced liquid fertilizer. The best time to fertilize your plant is spring and summer. Do not apply fertilizer directly into the dry soil, water the plant first and then apply the fertilizer once a month. Spto adding it in winter and fall. 

Pruning and Cleaning

The plant does not need the pruning regularly but it can be helpful to manage the plant growth. Cut off any yellow leaves. Use the sterilized equipment for pruning. 

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Here are the common problems of every household plant: 

Dealing with Pests

The common pests that start living on your plant are spider mites, mealybugs, fungus ants, and scales. To prevent their residence you need to check the plant daily. If you find any bugs you can wipe them off with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. You can also use a solution spray that will kill all the bugs. 

Disease Prevention

The most common disease is caused by fungal infection. It happens because of overwatering or because of no drainage holes in the pot. The roots stay in the soggy soil which leads to root rot. Make sure to water the plant as per the need and your pot has enough holes for excess water to escape.

Leaf Problems

Many common leaf problems occur in the plant such as brown tips, yellow leaves, and leaves curling. The reason can be overwatering and less exposure of light, residual pests, or underwatering and more exposure to sunlight and low humidity levels. Check the environmental conditions to find the real reason. 

Propagation Tips

The propagation of the pink princess philodendron can be done through stem cutting. Cut a healthy stem that has 3 to 4 leaves. Use sterilized equipment or your plant can get infected. Remove the leaves from the bottom of the stem. Now place leave your stem for 12 to 24 hours of callous cover. Once the cutting is covered with callous place the stem into the water jar. Make sure the nodes are submerged in the water all the time. Keep changing the jar water to prevent a bacterial infection. In some weeks you will notice the new roots. When roots are grown to 1 inch, place the cutting into the soil. 

Caring for New Plants

• Water your plant when the soil starts to dry, moist soil is sensitive to overwatering and can lead to root rot. 
• Your plants need several hours of bright sunlight, too much exposure to light can fade the variegation and burn the leaves 
• The plant needs well-drained soil with a lot of organic matter. The soil must be airy and have the capacity to hold the needed moisture for the plant
• Monitor the temperature and humidity level. This plant does good in normal household temperatures, the preferred temperature is 65 °F to 75 °F

Conclusion 

The plant is famous as the preferred choice because of its beautiful variegation. The plant is easy to care for and can do good in household temperature and humidity levels. The plant is low maintenance as it does not require daily watering. Watch your plant for the residual of any bugs or insects as they can damage the plant. 

Author Bio

Abdullah Faraz writes insightful posts on indoor gardening on AquariusMediaa, offering practical tips for creating sustainable and vibrant green spaces.