How To Care For Red Emerald Philodendron? Info For You

Philodendron red emerald is a flowering houseplant rooted in Colombia. People love its shiny heart-shaped leaves with beautiful red veins that add an exotic vibe and color to every living space. Yet, if you don’t know how to care for a red emerald philodendron, you may never see its flower bloom red.

This guide post will refer you to the ultimate guidelines on taking care of philodendron plants and the best techniques to propagate them.

How To Care For Red Emerald Philodendron?

There are eight basic care and maintenance tips on growing philodendron imperial as follows.

Watering

Excessive moisture is a no-no when caring for this green

Overwatering is the mistake houseplant growers make. It can induce the leaves to turn yellowish and pose other issues, like fungus infections or root rot.

If we have to choose, it’s usually better to under-water than overwater your greens. It doesn’t mean you can allow yourself to skip some watering sessions.

It is vital not to let the substrate dry out during the gaps between watering periods. You should examine the soil’s softness every day using your fingers.

Don’t forget to water your tropical plants after fertilizing. Excess fertilizer will hurt them.

Light

Like other philodendron varieties, the red breed enjoys decent indirect light – for example, partial shade or dappled sunlight.

Avoid areas with direct sunlight like a window facing the south since this may induce the substrate to dry out rapidly and burn the leaves.

Though your greens will grow faster under milder indirect light, the leaves may be smaller.

Temperature

This variety loves warm to medium temperatures, which might become leggy and look unsightly when placed in high temperatures. The heat range can run from 55°F to 65°F.

It may grow chlorosis (yellow leaves) if exposed to overly high temperatures. We suggest using a humidity meter and thermometer to easily measure the temperatures around your greens.

Humidity

This species prefers high humidity

Similar to temperature, humidity is essential to your philodendron red emerald success. Generally, the humidity level should be above 60%.

Proper humidity will yield bright-colored and full-sized leaves as you expect. Too low a humidity percentage may pose stunted growth and dry leaves.

If the humidity level in your room is under 60%, easily increase it by installing a diffuser and humidifier.

Size

A mature red emerald should stand at 6.5 feet and 5 feet in width. Like any other philodendron, this breed is a pretty fast grower.

Since the green is a climbing vine, a trellis or moss pole will help support its dense weight and encourage it to grow upward.

Soil

Regarding the soil for the red-leaf philodendron, there are two options to look through: LECA balls and loamy soil. Each has its downfalls and benefits.

A loamy substrate is a three-component sand, silt, and clay mixture. The silt merges sand and clay properties, improving nutrient retention.

Clay is a fantastic element with great moisture retention, whereas sand enables naturally adequate aeration.

We’ve got some tips on amending the clay soil. You’ll need them!

If you’re not fond of the feeling of soil sticking to your fingertips, we suggest using LECA balls as an alternative.

They may seem tricky to use at first, but you’ll need to rinse the new clay pebble pack, pop the stones in your pot, and dig your plant in.

Fertilizer

Excessive fertilizer may hurt your greens

Good fertilizer plays a vital role in maintaining philodendron imperial red. Yet, the work is relatively straightforward with just a tiny compost application.

The important thing is to feed the plants during summer and avoid feeding during winter or the late autumn months. They need time to relax and rest.

Steer clear of over-fertilizing your greens since the excessive fertilizer may burn their roots, creating brown areas on their leaves and hindering their growth.

Potting

Even though your green is still in its infancy, it’ll outgrow its pot quickly. Thus, look to re-pot it annually.

Once it gets established, you will no longer need to re-potting it frequently.

Since the plants feature a vining growth pattern, they’ll require a robust support structure to latch on.

The Red Emerald Philodendron: Propagation Instructions

The two most highly recommended philodendron red propagation techniques are stem cutting and air layering.

Method 1: Stem Cutting

• Pick a healthy, fresh stem with two to three nodes (more nodes mean a higher success rate).
• Cut the stems just underneath the nodes using sterilized pruning scissors.
• Prepare a decent pot of perlite and sphagnum moss (50%) and moist (50%). The moss must be wet yet not soaking.
• Soak the newly cut stems into rooting hormone powder or solution, then plant them into your potting mix. Ensure to cover the nodes where roots will grow from.
• The remaining part of the pot will be a perlite mix and spag moss.
• Place the pot in a place with indirect light and warm temperatures. Water and keep the moss moist.

Method 2: Air Layering

• Pick well-established aerial roots growing from a healthy node. Wrap some damp sphagnum moss around that node with a pole and roots.
• Entirely warp the node using a see-through plastic bag or food wrap and seal it.
• Leave the seal’s bottom and top open. Since new roots love diving downward, this practice will help them go down without clustering.
• Wait two to three weeks until new roots start developing. Gently remove the wrap and the moss surrounding the new roots.
• Ensure the roots are healthy by checking if they look white.
• Trim the stem underneath the roots using clean scissors and plant it in a rich potting mixture. Then, take care of it as usual.

You can watch the video to learn tips on propagating philodendron erubescens.

Common Diseases In Red Emerald Philodendrons

Thrips are among the common pests on houseplants

• Yellow leaves

Philodendron red emerald growing yellow leaves means it’s suffering root rot. This issue happens due to overwatering.

So, always inspect the humidity level before watering. Ensure the substrate is well-drained and avoid watering if the substrate is soaking.

• Leaves become brown at the tips.

Your plant’s leaves may turn brown as exposed to direct light for an extended time ( above three hours per day).

This issue also occurs when you underwater the plant. Underwatered greens will sometimes grow curly leaves, too.

• Common pests

Pests are often no big problem since this variety is highly resilient regarding pest attacks. Scales, thrips, spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs may attack but weaken and fade away quickly.

You can apply neem oil in diluted form or a natural insecticide or pest repellent to remove these pests.

The Bottom Line

It’s not tricky to learn how to care for a red emerald philodendron and make it a colorful supplement to your living space.

The key is that it enjoys dappled light, warmth, low moisture, and high humidity.

Ensure to follow every pointer in this care guide, and you’ll win the reward of a luscious, thriving indoor garden.