PlantParlourBlushing philodendron (Philodendron erubescens) care
Aroids · easy to keep
Last updated
Blushing philodendron (Philodendron erubescens) wants bright indirect light; tolerates a shadier spot than most. Water it weekly. Water when the top third of the pot is dry. Philodendrons wilt visibly when genuinely thirsty and recover within hours, which makes them easy to read. Pot it in loose, airy aroid mix with plenty of bark and perlite. Balanced liquid feed at half strength every third watering through the growing season, and repot once a year. Humidity: fine at room humidity, faster growth above 60%. Toxic to cats, dogs and people if chewed — the sap carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which burn the mouth and throat.
The blushing philodendron — a climbing species with red-backed leaves and wine-coloured stems, and the parent of most of the famous variegated cultivars: Pink Princess, White Knight, White Princess, and the Birkin. The plain species is vigorous and easy; the variegated forms carry less chlorophyll and need noticeably more light and patience.
Quick facts
- Water
- Water weekly. Water when the top third of the pot is dry. Philodendrons wilt visibly when genuinely thirsty and recover within hours, which makes them easy to read.
- Light
- Bright indirect light; tolerates a shadier spot than most.
- Humidity
- Fine at room humidity, faster growth above 60%.
- Soil
- Loose, airy aroid mix with plenty of bark and perlite.
- Feeding
- Balanced liquid feed at half strength every third watering through the growing season.
- Repotting
- Repot once a year.
- Toxic to pets
- Toxic to cats, dogs and people if chewed — the sap carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which burn the mouth and throat. Keep it off the floor if anything in the house tastes its way through life. The ASPCA lists Philodendron Pertusum (Philodendron spp), the genus as a whole, as toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026).
- Difficulty
- Easy.
- Mature size
- 2 m or more on a pole; leaves 20–30 cm.
- Native to
- Colombia.
Watering a Blushing philodendron
Water weekly. Water when the top third of the pot is dry. Philodendrons wilt visibly when genuinely thirsty and recover within hours, which makes them easy to read.
That cadence is the one PlantParlour sets for this species when you name it, and it is deliberately on the cautious side — a plant that asks a day early is safer than one that asks a day late. Log each watering and the reminder moves with the plant rather than with the calendar.
Light
Bright indirect light suits them, and most philodendrons cope with genuinely dim corners better than a monstera will — they just grow slower and stretch. Variegated forms are the exception: white and pink tissue cannot photosynthesise, so those plants need more light than their green siblings, not less.
Humidity and temperature
Fine at room humidity, faster growth above 60%. Central heating in winter is what turns a comfortable room into a dry one, and it is the usual reason an established plant suddenly browns at the edges or picks up spider mites.
Soil and potting
Almost all of them climb or creep rather than sit in deep soil, so the roots want air. Half potting compost, half bark and perlite is the standard recipe. Crawlers like gloriosum want a shallow wide pot rather than a deep one — the rhizome runs along the surface.
Feeding
Balanced liquid feed at half strength every third watering through the growing season. Stop feeding in autumn and start again when you see new growth in spring — feeding a plant that isn't growing just builds up salts in the pot.
Repotting
Repot once a year. Every spring or two, one size up. A philodendron that has filled its pot pushes roots out of the drainage holes and dries out within a day or two of watering — that is the signal.
Common problems
-
Long bare stems with leaves far apart
Too little light. The plant is reaching.
Fix: Move it brighter and cut the leggy growth back — it will branch from the nodes below the cut.
-
Yellow lower leaves
Usually overwatering; occasionally just age, one leaf at a time.
Fix: If several go at once, check the roots. Brown and soft means rot; trim them and repot into fresh airy mix.
-
Variegation fading back to plain green
Not enough light for the plant to afford the white tissue.
Fix: Give it more light, and prune back to a node that still shows variegation — the plant grows on from the last variegated point.
-
Brown tips on new leaves that were fine in the old pot
Low humidity while the leaf was still unfurling.
Fix: Group plants together or run a humidifier while new leaves open; the damage is cosmetic and permanent on that leaf.
Propagation
Stem cuttings root readily: take a section with at least one node and a leaf, and put it in water, perlite or damp sphagnum. Crawling species are divided instead, by cutting the rhizome between two growth points.
A cutting taken in PlantParlour keeps its link to the plant it came from, so a propagation years later still traces back to the mother plant — which is the point if you ever sell or trade it.
Toxicity and safety
Toxic to cats, dogs and people if chewed — the sap carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which burn the mouth and throat. Keep it off the floor if anything in the house tastes its way through life.
The ASPCA lists Philodendron Pertusum (Philodendron spp), the genus as a whole, as toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026).
If your pet has eaten a plant, call your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Both are open around the clock and may charge a consultation fee. Take the plant or its label with you.
This is general information, not veterinary advice. We don't test plants: what we say about toxicity follows the ASPCA's published plant list as it stood on 26 October 2026, and that list can change. "Non-toxic" means not poisonous — a pet that eats enough of any plant can still vomit, and fertiliser, pesticide or leaf shine on a plant can harm it. It also only helps if the plant is what you think it is. It covers cats and dogs only; ask your vet about rabbits, birds, reptiles or anything else, and a doctor about children. Read our terms.
Every houseplant in the library the ASPCA lists as non-toxic to cats and dogs
Named cultivars and variegations
Philodendron erubescens is sold under several cultivar names. Care is the same unless noted; variegated forms carry less chlorophyll, so they grow more slowly and want more light than the plain species.
| Cultivar | Also sold as | Water |
|---|---|---|
| 'Birkin' | Philodendron Birkin, Birkin | weekly |
| 'Pink Princess' | Pink Princess, PPP | weekly |
| 'White Princess' | White Princess | weekly |
| 'White Knight' | White Knight | weekly |
| 'White Wizard' | White Wizard | weekly |
| 'Strawberry Shake' | Strawberry Shake | weekly |
Where the variegated forms are grown differently from the plain Philodendron erubescens:
'Birkin'
White pinstripes on dark green leaves. Birkin is itself an unstable mutation and readily throws leaves that drift back towards the plain red-leaved plant it came from.
Light: Bright indirect light. The pinstripes stay crisp in good light; in a dim corner new leaves come darker and plainer.
Watch for: New leaves darker, with fewer stripes or none. The plant is reverting towards the plain red-leaved philodendron it came from, and low light hurries it along. Give it more light, and cut back any stem that has made several plain leaves to the last well-striped one.
'Pink Princess'
Pink variegation on near-black leaves, from an unstable mutation: a leaf can come out half pink, all dark, or entirely pink. Difficulty: needs attention.
Light: Bright indirect light close to a window. It needs it twice over: to keep making pink, and to feed the pink tissue, which makes no food of its own. Morning sun is fine; harsh afternoon sun scorches the pink.
Watch for: A new leaf that is entirely pink, or nearly. Pink tissue has no chlorophyll, so the leaf cannot feed itself; it will brown and die early, and it means the stem is drifting towards pink. Leave the leaf on while it lasts. If the next leaves are mostly pink too, cut the stem back to a node below a leaf with a good share of green.
Watch for: New leaves coming in plain green. The stem is reverting: green tissue grows faster than the pink, and a stem that has made one plain leaf will usually go on making them. Give it more light, and cut the stem back to a node below the last leaf with good variegation; growth from that node carries the pattern on.
'White Princess'
White variegation, sometimes with a fleck of pink, on a rich green leaf. Unstable: leaves vary from green to mostly white. Difficulty: needs attention.
Light: Bright indirect light close to a window, no harsh afternoon sun. The white tissue makes no food, so this plant needs more light than its green siblings, not less.
Humidity: Above 50%, ideally 60%.
Watch for: A new leaf that is entirely white, or nearly. White tissue has no chlorophyll, so the leaf cannot feed itself; it will brown and die early, and it means the stem is drifting towards white. Leave the leaf on while it lasts. If the next leaves are mostly white too, cut the stem back to a node below a leaf with a good share of green.
Watch for: New leaves coming in plain green. The stem is reverting: green tissue grows faster than the variegation, and a stem that has made one plain leaf will usually go on making them. Give it more light, and cut the stem back to a node below the last leaf with good variegation; growth from that node carries the pattern on.
'White Knight'
White variegation on dark green leaves, with burgundy stems. Unstable, like the other white erubescens. Difficulty: needs attention.
Light: Bright indirect light close to a window, no harsh afternoon sun. In a dim spot the white thins out and the leaves come smaller.
Humidity: Above 50%, ideally 60%.
Watch for: A new leaf that is entirely white, or nearly. White tissue has no chlorophyll, so the leaf cannot feed itself; it will brown and die early, and it means the stem is drifting towards white. Leave the leaf on while it lasts. If the next leaves are mostly white too, cut the stem back to a node below a leaf with a good share of green.
Watch for: New leaves coming in plain green. The stem is reverting: green tissue grows faster than the variegation, and a stem that has made one plain leaf will usually go on making them. Give it more light, and cut the stem back to a node below the last leaf with good variegation; growth from that node carries the pattern on.
'White Wizard'
Bold white splashes on green, with large leaves and a fast climbing habit for a variegated philodendron. Unstable. Difficulty: needs attention.
Light: Bright indirect light close to a window, no harsh afternoon sun. Give it a pole: it grows bigger, better-marked leaves when it can climb.
Humidity: Above 50%, ideally 60%.
Watch for: A new leaf that is entirely white, or nearly. White tissue has no chlorophyll, so the leaf cannot feed itself; it will brown and die early, and it means the stem is drifting towards white. Leave the leaf on while it lasts. If the next leaves are mostly white too, cut the stem back to a node below a leaf with a good share of green.
Watch for: New leaves coming in plain green. The stem is reverting: green tissue grows faster than the variegation, and a stem that has made one plain leaf will usually go on making them. Give it more light, and cut the stem back to a node below the last leaf with good variegation; growth from that node carries the pattern on.
'Strawberry Shake'
Pink and cream variegation, often so heavy that a leaf carries more variegated tissue than green. Unstable, and slow. Difficulty: fussy.
Light: As much bright indirect light as you can give it without harsh afternoon sun. A plant this pale has little green to feed it.
Water: Water when the top third of the pot is dry, and check before you water: with so little green it drinks slowly, and a wet pot lingers.
Humidity: Above 60%. The cream and pink parts brown first in dry air.
Watch for: A new leaf that is entirely pink or cream, or nearly. Pink or cream tissue has no chlorophyll, so the leaf cannot feed itself; it will brown and die early, and it means the stem is drifting towards pink or cream. Leave the leaf on while it lasts. If the next leaves are mostly pink or cream too, cut the stem back to a node below a leaf with a good share of green.
Watch for: New leaves coming in plain green. The stem is reverting: green tissue grows faster than the variegation, and a stem that has made one plain leaf will usually go on making them. Give it more light, and cut the stem back to a node below the last leaf with good variegation; growth from that node carries the pattern on.
Questions people ask
How often should you water a Blushing philodendron?
Water weekly as a starting point — that is the cadence PlantParlour sets for Philodendron erubescens. Water when the top third of the pot is dry. Philodendrons wilt visibly when genuinely thirsty and recover within hours, which makes them easy to read. Light, pot size and the time of year all move that number, so treat it as a reminder to go and check rather than a rule.
How much light does a Blushing philodendron need?
Bright indirect light suits them, and most philodendrons cope with genuinely dim corners better than a monstera will — they just grow slower and stretch. Variegated forms are the exception: white and pink tissue cannot photosynthesise, so those plants need more light than their green siblings, not less.
Is Blushing philodendron toxic to cats and dogs?
Toxic to cats, dogs and people if chewed — the sap carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which burn the mouth and throat. Keep it off the floor if anything in the house tastes its way through life. The ASPCA lists Philodendron Pertusum (Philodendron spp), the genus as a whole, as toxic to cats and dogs (checked 26 October 2026). If a pet has eaten part of a plant, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435 straight away.
How do you propagate a Blushing philodendron?
Stem cuttings root readily: take a section with at least one node and a leaf, and put it in water, perlite or damp sphagnum. Crawling species are divided instead, by cutting the rhizome between two growth points.
Related plants
- Philodendron hederaceum
- Philodendron 'Florida Ghost'
- Philodendron 'Florida Beauty'
- Philodendron 'Prince of Orange'
- Philodendron 'Moonlight'
- Philodendron 'Ring of Fire'
- Philodendron 'Paraiso Verde'
- Philodendron 'Burle Marx'
Or browse every plant in the library.
Keep this plant's record
PlantParlour gives your Blushing philodendron its own page: a photo timeline, reminders set to the cadences above, and every watering, feed, repot and problem written down. Trade or sell it and the whole history goes with it.
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