How to Grow & Care for Philodendron Hastatum ‘Silver Sword’ (2024)

by Becky Decker · October 25, 2023

Hey folks! Welcome back!

I hope your garden is prospering and touching the sky with your efforts. Do you know about the Philodendron silver sword? If not, then you should know that Philodendron Hastatum is a kind of rare species that is also known as Silver Sword Philodendron.

For differentiation, the Philodendron Hastatum has a different shape which does change at different stages of the plant. You need to take care of the plant for proper growth and in this article, I have shared my experience of planting and caring for Philodendron Hastatum.

Quick takeaways:

They do have different appearances throughout the stage of growing such as:

The lobes begin to form.

The Philodendron Hastatum posterior part of the leaf starts getting wider and larger.

Looking like a sword.

The Philodendron Hastatum has round and smaller leaves and after the plant comes into the adulting stage it changes to longer, narrower, and more elongated leaves.

The following image shows common points you need to look for to grow and care for philodendron hastatum which is further explained in detail.

Scientific Name	Philodendron hastatum
Common Name	Silver Sword Philodendron, Hastatum Plant
Light	Bright indirect sunlight
Watering	Weekly, water if the top two inches of the soil already feel dry
Temperature	65° and 80°F (18-27°C)
Hardiness Zone	USDA Hardiness zones 9b to 11
Humidity	50 to 75 %
Soil Type	Rich, quick-draining, high in OM
Soil pH	(6.1 – 7.5) mildly acidic to neutral
Fertilizing	A balanced feed during spring and summer
Repotting	A year or two
Pruning	Beginning of the growing season
Propagation	Stem Cuttings
Toxicity	Toxic to humans and pets
Mature Size	Can grow over 10 feet tall
Bloom Time	Rare, Spring and early summer

Table of Contents

What is Philodendron Silver Sword?

Philodendron Silver Sword is one of the varieties that is unusual to find this variety of philodendron. It is a climber variety that will grow best if you provide it with a good amount of bright indirect sunlight.

It can even grow in the low sunlight. You have to keep watering the plant until the top inch of the soil becomes moist. when the soil becomes dry, then you have to water this plant. Do you know what’s unique in this plant? It is the growing pattern of this plant that makes it different from the other varieties of philodendron.

Its life cycle is also different. So are you ready to do grace variety in a home garden then it’s a great idea to add this addition to your area as it will add magic with its silver, grey coloured leaves.

Grow & Care for Philodendron Hastatum:

The following are some ways that you need to follow for proper growth and care for Philodendron Hastatum:

Light And Temperature
Size And Growth
Flowering And Fragrance
Watering And Fertilizing
Soil And Transplanting
Grooming And Maintenance
Humidity.
Potting and repotting.
Pruning
Propagation

Light And Temperature:

The Philodendron Hastatum needs to keep away from direct sunlight in order to grow and care so that the plant does not get scorched on the plant. The suitable conditions of light to grow Philodendron Hastatum is in partial shade due to its leathery, glossy foliage but remember that a large amount of low light will make them leggy.

So you need to find a place where the morning light reaches the plant and has exposure to afternoon shade.

In case of the temperature, you can grow the Philodendron Hastatum in an average humidity of at least 50%. To grow the plant it is really safe to mist because the leaves of Philodendron Hastatum are glossy and leathery.

You need to place the plant in an average temperature that ranges from 65° – 80° degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature during the night should be about 5° degrees Fahrenheit cooler. You need to keep Philodendron Hastatum away from any sudden temperature shifts.

Size And Growth:

When we talk about the size of the plant that can grow to 10′ feet tall and 5′ feet wide. The growth of the Philodendron Hastatum is generally fast which makes it capable of having a new leaf within a month.

Due to the presence of philos in Philodendron Hastatum, it is an avid climber so you need to provide the plant support of a bamboo pole or trellis. It consists of a distinctive D shape when it is cut in a cross-section as the stem of the plant is thick and has short notes.

The leaves are the most attractive point for people to plant philodendron hastatum.

After getting longer or maturing they are mixed of gray-green and blue-gray. The structure of the leaf is like an elongated heart which narrows along its length 11 and has a border shape Which looks like an elephant’s head. The formation of the new leaves is from a cataphyll which is in an oval shape appearance.

Flowering and fragrance:

In the case of blooming for seeds, it is a rare chance or it takes decades for the plant to reach the stage of sexual maturity hence it is very unlikely to see it Bloom in a domestic setting.

Watering and fertilizing:

The following are some steps you need to follow for watering and fertilizing the plant:

First, you need to stick your finger in the soil, and if you find it is dry reach 1 to 2 inches down and water the plant.
You need to water it thoroughly and slowly until you find the water shipping from the drainage hole of the plant.
If you have planted the door outdoors then you need to water the plant under the soil so it does not absorb the water as fast as you are pouring the water.
No need to water in the fall and winter seasons as the plant is in a dormant stage.
In case of the requirement of the fertilizer, you need to feed monthly the balanced liquid fertilizer.
During the fall and winter, you have to feed them once every 2 months.
In case of having high numbers, you have to dilute the fertilizer by half.

Note:

It is always better to provide a little less rather than providing too much that will damage your plant.

Soil and transplanting:

In the case of preferred soil for growing the philodendron Hastatum is sandier having plenty of organic material.

For good growth and care you can pot the plant in a pure sphagnum Moss or even you can add a mix of peat and perlite. In addition, you can also add a bit of extra perlite for growing philodendron hastatum.

There is no time set for repotting the plant. You can report after the plant starts to have a root bound that is clearly visible when the roots are poking out of the drainage holes.

Grooming and maintenance:

For grooming and maintenance, you need to buy the leaves monthly remove the dust from the leaf, and also check for any pests on the plant.

You need to remove all the damaged and diseased leaves stem from the plant.

Propagate:

For propagating, you need to cut the stem which is the easiest and very popular way to propagate the philodendron hastatum. The other way is to use the seeds for propagation.

If you keep the plant in higher humidity it will get more prone to fungal infections generally the plant is free from pests and diseases but in high humidity or in the household, it may get pets like a pest, mealybugs, Spider-Man, and thrips.

Root rot is a very common disease risk in the plants because the plant contains high levels of calcium oxalate and is also not safe for any pets or humans if they consume it.

Common Problems With Philodendron Silver Sword

Various problems are faced by the plant and the same is the case with the Philodendron Silver Sword.

It becomes challenging for the Gardner to prevent those problems, but first, you need to know about those common problems with the Philodendron Silver Sword:

Brown-colored leaf tips

One of the problems with the begonias is the brown-color leaf tips in the plant.

It is because of the excess supply of sunlight to the plant which makes them dull. Also, less supply of watering can be the cause behind this issue.

Spots on the leaves

Sometimes there are holes or spots on the leaves that disturb the look of the plant in the garden.

As you know, there are various best that like this plant, so they come near the plant so that they can take the fluid from the plant to satisfy their hunger.

So you must remove those pests from the plant by hand if possible. Otherwise, you can make use of homemade solutions to prevent it.

Yellow-colored leaves

Oh! Another main problem faced by this plant is the turning of leaves into yellow color, which shows the exact sign of overwatering. So you have to keep in mind, not to overwater the plant.

Feed them with water when the soil becomes dry and that can be checked by inserting a finger in the soil and effect. It feels dry about an inch then is the right time to water your plant.

Wrapping up the Context

In this guide, you come to know that the most common mistake a gardener makes while taking care of them is ignoring the yellow leaves, brown leaf tips, and leaf edges.

So we need to take proper care in order to grow philodendron hastatum and the above-mentioned points will help you out for growing the plant. Philodendron Silver Sword is one of the varieties that is unusual to find this variety of philodendron. It is a climber variety that will grow best if you provide it with a good amount of bright indirect sunlight. It can even grow in the low sunlight. You have to keep watering the plant until the top inch of the soil becomes moist.

When the soil becomes dry, then you have to water this plant. Do you know what’s unique in this plant? It is the growing pattern of this plant that makes it different from the other varieties of philodendron. Read the guide carefully for its understanding.

Thanks for reading! Happy Gardening!