Complete Care Guide: Philodendron Florida Ghost
Complete Care Guide: Philodendron Florida Ghost
In this article, you'll find…
Plant Info
Care Guide
Lighting
Watering
Humidity
Soil Needs
Types
Propagating
Common Issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant Info
The amazingly-lobed leaves of the Philodendron Florida Ghost are not those created by nature - at least, not without some help.
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Common Name(s) |
Philodendron Florida Ghost, Philodendron Florida Mint |
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Botanical Name |
Philodendron pedatum x squamiferum 'Florida Ghost' |
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Botanical Family |
Araceae, the Arum family |
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Mature Size |
Very large -- 10' tall and wide, at maturity |
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Lighting |
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Watering |
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Humidity |
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Soil Mix |
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Flowers |
Small/insignificant, can happen any time |
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Hardiness |
Keep above 10C/50F |
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Native Region |
Both parents are native to South America |
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Toxicity |
Mildly toxic to pets and people alike! |
Take a look at this care guide as an infographic!
Care Guide
The parents of this gorgeous hybrid are both tree-crawling scramblers, so naturally the Florida Ghost has the same general habit -- a crawling vine with large, lobed leaves to catch the sun's rays. The leaves come in white (or almost white, which some enterprising dealers have started marketing as "Florida Mint"), then gradually darken to their normal dark, rich green as the leaf "hardens off", or matures. You'll want to make sure that your Florida Ghost gets as much bright light as possible -- even full, direct sun if you acclimate it slowly -- to bring out those bright, white new leaves.
Lighting
These babies need as much light as possible -- if you don't give them enough, the new leaves won't come in that wonderful light colour. Beyond that, their leaves won't be as large and those lobes won't be as wonderful.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
All phildendrons like to dry out a little between waterings -- oxygen is necessary for proper root function! The Florida Ghost is no exception, and it's generally best to let the top 1/3-1/2 dry out between waterings.
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
High humidity is always helpful, especially for unfurling leaves to give them a chance to open without damage -- but if you need to have it in a space with normal humidity, it'll acclimate pretty well.
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
Like most aroids (members of the Araceae, including pothos, philodendrons, and syngoniums, among many others), Philodendron Florida Ghost is an epiphytic climber -- this means that if it existed as a natural hybrid, it would take root in crooks of trees, growing towards the light. This makes it ideal as a houseplant -- it doesn't need much soil!
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1-2 parts orchid bark.
Don't know why you're adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There are three major types (at least for now), though one is a little up in the air as to whether or not you consider it a type of its own.
First is the Florida Ghost -- leaves come in white, then darken to a uniform green.
Second, the Florida Beauty -- leaves are vareigated, and so will harden of with white and cream parts of the leaves as well.
And third (and a little iffy) -- the "Florida Mint", which is a Florida Ghost that doesn't give off white leaves, just light green. In my eyes, this is a Florida Ghost with character, not a subtype of its own, but your mileage may vary!
Propagating
Want more baby plants? You can easily propagate with stem cuttings, the exact same way as you do with most vining houseplants!
Simply cut off a section of stem with a few leaves, just above a node (where the leaves meet the stem), take off the lowest leaf or two (making sure to leave at least one leaf on it, but ideally a few -- easy with the leaves this large), and then stick it in water or a moist substrate, making sure that at least one node stays moist. Put it in a bright spot for a few weeks, and you'll see roots forming!
Check out our articles on water propagation, soil propagation, or air layering for more details on common propagation methods!
Common Issues
The most common issues, as with any houseplant, are watering issues (which can include a whole host of other related factors, of course -- lighting, airflow, temperature, and more.
All houseplants are susceptible to pests, including mealybugs, spider mites, and more. This plant isn't known to be particularly susceptible to any specific pest!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Florida Ghost rare?
Generally, yes -- they're becoming more common, for sure, but they're still pretty rare.
Is Philodendron Florida Ghost hard to keep?
It's one of the trickier philodendrons, for sure, but it's not super difficult! Once you get a good spot and care routine going, you won't have any issue.