Complete Care Guide: Red Sun Philodendron
Complete Care Guide:
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 Red Sun Philodendron is a compact, "self-heading" philodendron -- it doesn't vine or climb, but instead grows a very compact stem. It gets its name from the bright red of new leaves -- though it only comes out properly if you have it in bright enough light.
|
Common Name(s) |
Red Sun Philodendron, Philodendron Red Sun, Blushing Philodendron |
|
Botanical Name |
Philodendron erubescens 'Red Sun' |
|
Botanical Family |
Araceae, the aroid family |
|
Mature Size |
Leaves up to a foot long, up to 4' tall and 2' wide indoors |
|
Lighting |
|
|
Watering |
|
|
Humidity |
|
|
Soil Mix |
|
|
Flowers |
Small, insignificant, and rare aroid flowers. |
|
Hardiness |
Not frost-hardy; keep it above 10C/50F |
|
Native Region |
(Wild form) Colombia |
|
Toxicity |
Mildly toxic |
Take a look at this care guide as an inforgraphic!
Care Guide
Your Red Sun Philodendron is a reasonably easy-going houseplant that will thrive in a bright corner! Self-heading philodendrons like this one thrive on (minor) neglect, so be sure not to love it to death!
Lighting
You'll want to ensure that your Red Sun Philodendron has access to plenty of bright, indirect light. Direct sun might burn the delicate leaves -- especially new ones -- but otherwise, the brighter the better! Bright light will encourage bright red new growth.
Make sure to check out our general article on lighting!
Watering
Like all philodendrons, the Red Sun Philodendron has medium watering needs, so let around the top ⅓ dry out before watering again. I've personally found that my Red Sun isn't as thirsty as some of the other philodendrons in my collection, though, and often will let the top ½ dry out instead!
Make sure to check out our general article on watering!
Humidity
Coming from the tropical rainforest, it's no surprise that your Red Sun Philodendron wants higher than average household humidity -- but plants are adaptable, and the Red Sun Philodendron will work with average household humidity just fine for the most part. Still, it will be happier with a humidifier!
Make sure to check out our general article on humidity – including a couple common myths!
Soil Needs
This philodendron is happiest with a nice well-draining, chunky mix -- it will make sure that there's plenty of air around the roots, as well as chunks to grab on to. Your Red Sun Philodendron doesn't need a moss pole, but it may benefit from a stake to support it as it grows.
Suggestion: Start with 2 parts peat-based potting mix or coco coir, mix in 1 part perlite, and 1 part orchid bark.
Don't know why you're adding these things? Check out our article on potting mixes!
Types
There a number of similar cultivars of Philodendron erubescens with leaves that come in different colours, including Moonlight (yellow), Prince of Orange (orange), and McColley's Finale (red-orange) -- but there's also another group of cultivars of Philodendron erubescens with a very different look and growth habit -- including the famous Pink Princess, along with the similar White Princess, White Knight, and White Wizard.
Propagating
Want more baby plants? With self-heading philodendrons, the easiest way to propagate is to wait for an offshoot to appear -- baby plants will grow next to the mother plant, and once they have a few leaves of their own, you can take a sharp, clean knife and separate out the babies from the mother, making sure the baby has some roots attached as well. Pot it up, and you're done!
Common Issues
The most common issues with Red Sun Philodendrons are overwatering and new leaves not coming in a bright red. Make sure to follow the care guide above!
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, though!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Philodendron Red Sun rare?
This is an uncommon philodendron that might take a while to find available, depending on your area, but you probably won't have to go to a specialist dealer.
Why do my new leaves come in red?
The pigments that cause the bright red colour -- called anthocyanins -- serve double-duty: they also provide UV protection, which is crucial for new, fragile leaves. As the leaves mature and 'harden off', though, that protection against UV rays is less needed, and the plant instead prioritizes the green of chlorophyll to maximize how much energy it can absorb.