The Philodendron Luxurians are known for having large and heart-shaped leaves. The leaves are dark green with velvety and dull.
The pale-reddish leaf and bright, thick yellow-white leaf veins give it elegance. You need to know that all parts of Philodendron Luxurians are poisonous, which can cause skin irritation and not fit for consumption.
Home Care Tips for Philodendron Luxurians
Before buying Philodendron Luxurians grown indoors, it is imperative to learn how to care for them.
1. Illumination
Sunlight must always be diffused, as direct scorching rays can harm the Philodendron Luxurians. In this regard, it is recommended to choose a place away from the window opening and the sun’s direct rays.
If you decide to give it a place on the windowsill, then preference should be given to those windows located in the western, northern, or eastern part of the room.
For routine development and growth, the length of daylight hours required for Philodendron Luxurians is about 14 hours. In this regard, if you want your bush to be very lush and spectacular, then it will have to be supplemented.
Philodendron Luxurians develop within the normal range under fluorescent lamps, and therefore it is often adorned with the halls of large office centers or hotels.
2. Humidity
The humidity in the room must be more than 60 percent. It will not be possible to increase the air humidity in the apartment to that level by simple spraying, especially during the heating season.
The plant can be placed near a home fountain or an open container filled with water. So, a spacious and well-lit bathroom will be the ideal place for Philodendron Luxurians.
3. Land mixture
The ideal soil mixture is supposed to be slightly acidic or neutral. To prepare the soil mixture, you’re required to combine leaf, peat soil, and humus, and coarse sand.
Also, it is recommended to add some amount of chopped bark to this mixture. Also, a ready-made unique soil mixture for Philodendron Luxurians is perfect for planting.
During planting, do not forget about good drainage at the bottom of the pot, which will help protect the plant from liquid stagnation.
4. Fertilizer
Fertilizer is carried out during intensive growth two times a month. You can use the complex mineral fertilizer while using ½ part of a dose suggested on a package. In winter, fertilizers should not be applied to the soil.
5. Planting
Before growing Philodendron Luxurians, it is recommended that you get acquainted with the features of one or another of its types. This plant takes root better if you take the seeds of a variety cultivated in an area with a similar climate.
The optimal planting time is the beginning of spring, but not earlier than the end of surface frost. In the southern regions, it is allowed to plant Philodendron Luxurians in the fall, 2 months before the onset of freezing temperatures.
6. Top dressing
Philodendron Luxurians grown in room conditions must be systematically fed; for this, complex fertilizers are used for decorative deciduous plants.
The nutrient solution concentration should be ¼ of that indicated on the package. Top dressing is applied from March to September 3 or 4 times every 30 days.
If the bush is in a cool place in winter, there is no need to feed it. However, if the bush hibernates in the warmth, they continue to feed it at intervals of no more than 1 time in 4 weeks.
7. Watering
Water the Philodendron Luxurians immediately after the top layer of the substrate in the container dries out.
At the same time, the air temperature in the room has a direct effect on the frequency and abundance of watering, so the cooler the room, the less liquid the plant will need. During cool winter, watering should be infrequent and more scarce than usual.
8. Temperature regime
Philodendron Luxurians loves warmth. During summer, it required a reasonable temperature of between 20 and 25 degrees, and in winter, it requires 18 to 20 degrees.
It should be remembered that the room should not be colder than 16 degrees since the plant may die due to low temperatures. Protecting Philodendron Luxurians from drafts and from sudden temperature changes is also recommended.
In this regard, it is necessary to ventilate the room very carefully, avoiding the cold air masses ingress on a plant.
9. Spraying
This procedure is necessary to ensure optimal room air humidity, especially in winter. The frequency of spraying depends on the dryness of the air and varies from 2-3 times a week to a daily repetition.
10. Transplant
If caring for the indoor Philodendron Luxurians did not bring the desired results, the soil has lost its fertile layer, or the roots have begun to sprout outward, so begin to transplant.
It is best to carry out the procedure in the spring during the growing season. A transplanted Philodendron Luxurians on the eve of cold weather will not take root well.
Transplanting will require a slightly larger pot than the previous one. The plant is carefully removed and the old soil and placed in a new pot.
The remaining space is filled with the fresh earthen mixture. Sometimes small shoots can be found at the bush’s base during transplantation. This is a young growth that signals the possibility of dividing the bush for reproduction.
To do this, separate the shoots with the root from the main bush and put them in a separate pot. During their growth, it will be necessary to provide thermal conditions. The Philodendron Luxurians breeding method is the simplest at home.
11. Pruning
For the Philodendron Luxurians to fully grow and look healthy, it is pruned from time to time (every few years). But during the growing season, it is not recommended to do it.
Exceptions are cases when a Philodendron Luxurians is sick and needs urgent rehabilitation. Do not touch young leaves during pruning. Old leaves from adult specimens are removed.
Pests and diseases
Proper care and proper Philodendron Luxurians cultivation virtually eliminate the likelihood of disease. A common cause of morbidity is excessive watering (overflow) of the soil.
The consequences are waterlogging and rotting of the root system and creating a favorable environment for the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms-pests.
- When watering, chlorine-containing water leads to the appearance of nematode insects, which infect the root system of the flower, which cause yellowing of the leaves. The solution to the problem is a timely transplant, with a complete soil replacement and treatment with insecticides.
- Excessively dry air creates favorable breeding conditions for scale insects and aphids. The solution to the problem is to spray the Philodendron Luxurians regularly. In the event of insects, resort to insecticidal treatment. If the treatment with drugs does not result, all the leaves will have to be cut off at the root, processed again, and wait for the appearance of new leaves. Do not forget about regular watering.
- Drying foliage. The most common reason leaf plates dry out is very rare or poor watering. When only the tips of the leaves dry up, the excessively low air humidity is to blame.
- Fly around the foliage. In some cases, the leaves can change their color to brown, after which they fold and fly around. This can happen for several reasons: The room is too cold, the bush is watered with too cool, hard, or chlorinated water, or exposed to a draft.
- Dry specks on foliage. Most often, dry spots on the surface of leaf plates appear due to sunburn.
Philodendron Luxurians Propagation
1. Propagation by cuttings
As a rule, the division of the bush is carried out in the spring, and try to combine this procedure with a transplant. For propagation, large adult bushes with several growth points are chosen.
Each bush should have at least one growth point and is planted in individual plastic pots, after which it is well watered. For the Philodendron Luxurians to take root quickly, it needs coolness and high humidity.
After planting, it does not begin to actively develop for a long time because first, it needs to build up the root system.
2. Propagation by offspring
Take a bowl, fill it with a light substrate and place it near the fern pot. Select 1 leafless shoot (mustache), take it to the side, and then dig it into the prepared container to a depth of 5 to 8 mm, while its top should not be buried.
Until the offspring grows roots, make sure that the soil mixture in the container is constantly slightly damp. After a while, young shoots are formed on the offspring.
Separation from the parent Philodendron Luxurians is carried out only after the bushes get stronger, after which they are planted in a separate pot.
Conclusion
Philodendron luxurians become beautiful aroids. The velvety leaves give it the stunning iridescent sheen. Likewise, it exhibits more scrambling growth behavior like gloriosum, unlike aggressive vining such as verrucosum.