Philodendron ‘Cherry Red’

Philodendron ‘Cherry Red’ 

The color progression is the reason to grow this one. New leaves emerge in rich cherry red to reddish-orange tones, then gradually move through bronze and darker olive shades before settling into green as they mature. Because several stages of foliage can be present at once, an actively growing plant can carry red, bronze and green leaves together. Reddish petioles and stems add even more color between the leaves.

Cherry Red grows as a compact, self-heading Philodendron, building its foliage around a central stem rather than producing a long vine that needs to climb. New leaves emerge from the center and gradually create a broad, layered plant. It does not need a moss pole to develop its characteristic shape. As the root system and plant mature, look for successive leaves to become larger and the overall plant to become fuller and more substantial.

For natural light, place it approximately 1–3 feet from an east-facing window or 2–4 feet from a west-facing window. Aim for approximately 800–1,500 foot-candles at the leaves. Foot-candles simply tell you how much light is actually reaching your plant. The lower end can support healthy growth, while stronger usable light within this range can help support compact development and the intensity and duration of the warm coloration on new foliage. Genetics create the color, while the growing environment influences how that color is expressed as each leaf develops.

Under a grow light, use a full-spectrum 5000–6500K fixture positioned approximately 8–12 inches above the canopy, aiming for approximately 800–1,500 foot-candles at the leaves. Kelvin tells you the color of the light, while foot-candles tell you how much light is actually reaching the plant. As the plant gets taller and wider, adjust the fixture so the newest growth in the center continues receiving useful light rather than allowing the canopy to gradually grow away from it.

Water when your plant needs watered. Allow the root zone to use a good portion of its available moisture before watering thoroughly again. A loose aroid mix with potting soil or coco-based substrate, coarse orchid bark and coarse perlite or pumice gives the roots moisture along with the airflow they need. How quickly the pot moves through water will change with light, temperature, root mass and active growth, so evaluate moisture through the pot rather than relying on a set number of days.

The newest leaves are especially useful for reading this plant. Cherry-red, copper or bronze new foliage gradually becoming greener is part of its normal development. If successive leaves begin getting smaller, growth slows considerably or the plant starts leaning or stretching, look at usable light, the root system and recent watering patterns together. A developing leaf that repeatedly struggles to emerge cleanly can also be a clue to look at moisture consistency, root health, usable light and the conditions around that tender new growth rather than assuming one environmental factor is responsible.

Success looks like a sturdy, increasingly full plant producing one strongly colored new leaf after another. Healthy roots, steady center growth, substantial petioles and successive leaves maintaining or increasing their size tell you the plant is moving in the right direction. The older foliage creates the green foundation while each new cherry-red leaf brings the color back again.