Philodendron Bloody Mary Care Guide

The Philodendron Bloody Mary is a unique type of philodendron with reddish leaves that is sure to add some beauty and color to whatever room it is growing in. As a tropical plant, Philodendron Bloody Mary prefers a warm and humid climate, which is easy to provide inside, making it an excellent decorative houseplant.

Characteristics

• Scientific Name: Philodendron ‘Bloody Mary’
• Common Name: Philodendron ‘Bloody Mary’
• Origin: South America
• Indoor/Outdoor Plant: Common indoor houseplant. Can grow outdoors in warm climates.
• Height;Structure: Up to 10-12 feet high in best conditions, limited by space available. Leaves 2-4 inches long.
• Temperature: Ideally a minimum of 60°F (16°C) and a maximum of 75°F (24°C).
• Flower Color: Red and burgundy leaves.

How to Plant the Philodendron Bloody Mary

Planting Time

The Philodendron Bloody Mary should ideally be planted in the spring. This is the start of the time period when its growth rate is the fastest.

Spacing

Although you still want to make sure your Philodendron Bloody Mary does not become root bound, philodendrons can tolerate their roots being more densely packed than some other plant species can withstand. When planting your Philodendron Bloody Mary, make sure your plant fits in the pot well, but also that the pot is not too large.

Light

Since philodendrons originated in the tropical areas of South America, they grow best in conditions similar to those found on the jungle floor. Because of this, your Philodendron Bloody Mary will be the most successful in bright but indirect light.

The Philodendron Bloody Mary is able to tolerate lower light levels, and this can make it an excellent indoor houseplant. However, you want to be sure that your plant is not receiving too little light. If your philodendron becomes leggy, that is a sign that it needs more light.

It is best to avoid putting the Philodendron Bloody Mary in direct sunlight, as this can burn the plant. If you are planting your philodendron outdoors, make sure it is in a shaded area.

Soil

The Philodendron Bloody Mary should be planted in well-draining soil. This helps to avoid problems such as fungus growth and rotting roots. A mixture that is about one quarter to one third perlite should allow for sufficient drainage. The rest of the mixture can be made up of peat moss, good quality potting soil, or a combination of the two.

Philodendrons prefer slightly acidic soil, with a pH as low as 5.5, but they can be successful in soil with a pH up to around 7.5.

How to Grow the Philodendron Bloody Mary

Growth Habits

The Philodendron Bloody Mary is a climbing philodendron, and it grows quickly. It has a tendency to droop because of its large leaves (but you still want to watch out for excess drooping, as this can be a sign of underwatering or overwatering).

Staking

Since the Philodendron Bloody Mary is a vining variety, you will probably want to stake it to give it support. It can also grow well in a hanging basket or with the support of a trellis.

Watering

The Philodendron Bloody Mary grows best in moist soil, but you still want to make sure that you are not overwatering it. Your philodendron should be watered two or three times a week during the summer, when the soil will dry out more quickly and the plant is actively growing.

During the winter, you can water your philodendron less, because the soil will take longer to dry out and the plant will not experience significant growth. In cold weather, you should only water your Philodendron Bloody Mary when the top two inches of soil are dry.

When watering your Philodendron Bloody Mary, you want to be sure that you are watering the soil directly, not the leaves. This helps to avoid fungus growth.

Fertilizing

During the spring and summer, when your Philodendron Bloody Mary is growing at its quickest rate, you will want to fertilize it once a month. For the rest of the year, when the weather is colder and the plant has a lower nutrient requirement because it is not growing significantly, you can fertilize it once every two months.

You can fertilize your Philodendron Bloody Mary with any domestic plant fertilizer. If possible, you may want to consider using a slow-release fertilizer.

Humidity

Since they originated in a tropical climate, philodendrons generally prefer high levels of humidity. If you live in a dry climate, you will most likely need to increase the humidity for your Philodendron Bloody Mary. Yellowing leaves are a sign that the humidity is too low for your philodendron.

There are several options if you want to increase the humidity for your Philodendron Bloody Mary. You can use a humidifier or mist the plant with a spray bottle. Another option is using a pebble tray.

Trimming and Pruning

The Philodendron Bloody Mary does not necessarily need to be pruned. However, if your plant has leggy vines or dead leaves, or if an indoor philodendron is growing too large, you may choose to prune it.

Before pruning, you should make sure the tools you are using are sterilized. Whenever, possible, you should make your cut above a leaf node.

Pot and Repotting

You will need to repot your Philodendron Bloody Mary when its roots form a tight ball. Roots coming out of the soil and out of the drainage holes in the pot are signs that the plant needs to be repotted. The new pot should be one size up from the original one (a couple inches larger), and the philodendron should be planted with fresh soil.

The best time to repot your Philodendron Bloody Mary is in the winter or early spring. This ensures that your plant has been repotted before its period of rapid growth in the spring and summer.

Propagation

The Philodendron Bloody Mary is an easy plant to propagate at home. The easiest and most common method of propagation is the use of stem cuttings. Cut a length of stem of about five or six inches from a mature philodendron. Then pinch off three or more leaves to expose the leaf nodes.

Place the cutting into a glass of water with the cut end down and the leaf nodes submerged.

Once roots have formed from the cutting and they have grown to the length of about one inch, you can plant the cutting in a pot and treat it as a new plant.

If you want to propagate your philodendron, you should plan to do so in the spring.

Philodendrons are toxic if ingested, and juices from cuttings may irritate your skin. You should wear gloves while propagating your philodendron and wash your hands when you are done.

Pests and Diseases

The main diseases to look out for when caring for a Philodendron Bloody Mary are root rot and leaf spot. The best way to avoid both of these problems is to make sure you are not overwatering your plant.

The Philodendron Bloody Mary is susceptible to pests such as mealybugs, aphids, scale, and spider mites. You can treat mealybugs, scale, and spider mites by using a paper towel with rubbing alcohol to wipe them off of the plant. Then, apply neem oil to the plant. If there are aphids on your philodendron, you can cut off the part of the plant that they are on.

If you spot a plant with a disease or pests, you should keep it away from other plants if possible. This can help prevent the disease or pests from spreading to healthy plants.

Plant Species

Philodendron is a genus that includes hundreds of individual species. Philodendrons are classified as either vining or non-climbing. The Philodendron Bloody Mary is a vining variety. A few non-climbing varieties are the Philodendron Xanadu and Philodendron Moonlight.

Companions

Generally, philodendrons can be kept in the same pot as many other houseplants, as long as the two species have similar growing conditions and there is sufficient room for both of them to grow. In fact, in nature, as a vining variety of philodendron, the Philodendron Bloody Mary usually grows next to a host plant, which it grows on and uses for support.

Toxicity

The Philodendron Bloody Mary is toxic, and it should be kept out of reach of children and pets.