Skip to Content

Philodendron Gigas – 8 Caring and 5 Propagating Tips!

Sharing is caring!

Philodendron Gigas is one of the most demanded plants of recent times. They are quite popular due to their tricolored leaves. We highly recommend you to grow one if you want a plant that captures the heart of every plant lover. They can instantly increase the beauty of your garden with their sensational presence.

These plants are quite easy to care for, but since they are not easily found at any online store, make sure that you give proper attention to this plant if you get your hands on one. We have provided a complete set of best tips that you can follow to make your precious plant healthy and strong.

Philodendron Gigas
Philodendron Gigas – via Reddit

Characteristics of Philodendron Gigas

Before we move on to the caring tips, it is important to know your plant well. We have listed 6 characteristics that can help you better understand your plant.

Foliage

These plants have velvety green foliage with yellow and brown spots. The color of the leaves changes as they reach their mature age. Newborn leaves have a copper color with white veins.

Make sure that you provide the leaves with enough water to keep them healthy and retain their color for longer periods.

Flowers

The blooming is seen in the rainy seasons. They produce inflorescences that have a white color with a red tinge. The spathe is about 3 inches in size with dark red color inside. These plants have the ability to produce 7 inflorescences in a single axil.

Height and width

These plants can grow up to 8 to 10 feet high. The foliage grows very fast, so make sure that you place them where they have enough space to grow freely. They can get about thrice their size in a year.

The leaves of these plants are quite large. They can grow up to 3 to 4 feet once completely established. You can allow them to hang from the basket to show their true beauty enhanced with multiple colors.

Hardiness

The hardiness zones of these plants are 9b to 11, so make sure that you provide them with similar conditions to these zones for better plant growth. Please do not keep your plant under extreme temperature conditions, as they cannot survive in them for long.

Native lands

These plants are originally from Panama. They enjoy mildly warm climate conditions, so make sure you maintain a stable temperature, allowing your plant to grow with mesmerizing colors.

Rarity

They are quite rare because of their huge leaves with multiple colors. These plants are quite easy to care for and provide the solution for all your houseplant needs, which makes them one of the most highly demanded plants of current times.

Philodendron Gigas 2
Philodendron Gigas – via Reddit

Caring tips for Philodendron Gigas

Soil

Well-drained soil is a must for this plant. We recommend that you use warm castings, orchid bark, perlite, horticulture charcoal, and sphagnum moss in equal amounts to prepare the soil.

Keep the soil moist all the time, but make sure that there is no standing water in the soil. Roots of the plant soaking in water for long periods can damage them.

These plants love to grow under neutral to slightly acidic soil. We recommend a pH of 5.6 to 7.5 for the best plant growth.

Water

Water the plant once a week. Please do not water the plant if the soil is still moist from the last watering. Use your fingers to check the upper layer of the soil. If the feels dry, then water the plant and allow the excess water to pass through the drainage holes.

Sunlight

Bright, indirect light from the sun is ideal for your plant. Place them near a window where all the light gets filtered by the glass before reaching the plant’s foliage. Please do not keep your plant in the open sun for too long as it can burn the plant’s leaves.

You can also use Led grow light to meet the lighting requirements without generating much heat for the leaves, but these plants always prefer natural sunlight.

Temperature

A temperature range of 55 to 88 degrees Fahrenheit is preferable; however, these plants can survive under lower temperatures up to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Very cold environments below 50 degrees Fahrenheit temperature can stunt the plant’s growth, so make sure that you keep them in a warm environment.

Humidity

These plants always love high humidity levels. A 60 to 80 percent humidity level is ideal for growing your plant at its maximum pace and health.

Fertilizer

We recommend you feed the plant once every week with 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer diluted in water to half strength. Reduce the feeding once the plant steps into a colder climate. These plants stop growing if the environment is extremely cold.

Pruning

Pruning is an essential caring practice for these plants. Remove any dead leaves and trim the overgrown ones. Once you identify the leaf changing its color to brown or yellow, cut it off as soon as possible to keep the plant healthy.

Pests and other diseases

Aphids and scales are the most common enemies of your beautiful plant, so make sure that you protect them with the help of neem oil spray once in a while.

Propagating Philodendron Gigas

You can propagate your Philodendron Gigas with the stem cutting method. It is the easiest and most economical method to propagate your plant, but there are a few tips that you should keep in mind for the best results.

  • Take the stem cuttings with at least a few leaves intact.
  • Place the cutting in the water and wait for the roots to develop.
  • Prepare a good soil mix and place the roots inside carefully.
  • Water, the plant in the early stages, more to keep it hydrated.
  • Make sure that you have a good drainage system to remove the excess water.

Conclusion

Philodendron Gigas is the plant to grow if you haven’t grown a philodendron yet. Please ensure that you follow all the tips provided in this article to help your plant grow with astonishing colors.