How to Grow & Care for Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ (2024)

by Becky Decker · November 4, 2023

Hey folks! Welcome back!

I hope your garden is prospering and touching the sky with your efforts. Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a plant that originated from South America and you can see them in the understories of the jungle where it is warm and humid.

Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a species that is a cross between two plants such as the Imperial Red Philodendron and the Tatei.

If you are thinking of planting Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ then in this article you are guided on how to grow and care for them.

Quick takeaways:

Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a plant having large foliage having a deep burgundy red hue.

Their color changes to dark green after they get mature.

They do love the same environment that wild family members of plants love.

Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ leaves grow up to 12 inches wide and 18 inches.

The following images show some important points that you need to consider while growing Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ that is further explained in detail below:

Scientific Name	Philodendron tatei ‘Congo Rojo’
Common Name	Philodendron Rojo Congo, Rojo Congo, Congo Red
Light	Bright indirect sunlight
Watering	Water if the top 2 inches of soil are dry
Temperature	65 to 80ºF (18 to 27ºC)
Hardiness Zone	9b to 12
Humidity	50%
Soil Type	Rich, quick-draining, loamy
Soil pH	5.6 to 6 (acidic)
Fertilizing	A balanced feed once a month in spring and summer
Repotting	Every year
Pruning	Spring and summer
Propagation	Division
Toxicity	Toxic to humans and pets
Mature Size	24 to 36 inches as a houseplant
Bloom Time	Rarely blooms indoors

What’s different About Philodendron Rojo Congo?

Philodendrons are one of those varieties that belong to the tropical rainforest of the Americas. They have been evolving there for a long time. Its parent plants are originated from the central and South America.

It tends to produce amazing glossy leaves in the plant that will brighten up your home garden. Enter its leaves will become dark green when they mature.

It is easy to grow this variety in your home garden even if you are a beginner in the field of gardening. It will suit your garden best as it is the healthiest choice for your area.

Grow & Care for Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’

For growing Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ there are some important requirements you need to fulfill as they are understory plants that love the warm and humid environment. The following are important requirements for growing Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’:

Light
Watering
Temperature
Humidity
Soil
Fertilizer
Potting and repotting
Pruning
Propagation

Light:

If the plant is grown in the forest the light comes to the plant by a tree canopy and the rays of the sun pass on their way to the forest floor.
If the plant is grown at home then the light requirement is from 10,000 to 20,000 lux which is bright, indirect light.
Planting the Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ in the North or east window is suitable for meeting the light requirement
If you plant them in a South or west-facing room you need to find a place out of the full sunlight as that will damage the leaves of the plant.

How to Grow & Care for Philodendron 'Rojo Congo' — Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’

Temperature:

The temperature requirement for planting Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ ranges from 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you plant them at a higher temperature they grow faster and tend to have bigger leaves.
The temperature tolerance of Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is below 55°F.
Avoid the plant from the cold windows that can damage the plant.
They don’t have any first hardiness so the freezing temperatures will kill the plant.

Watering:

You need to Water the plant Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ to keep the soil moist but don’t let it soak wet.
When we compare it with rainforest planting the rains are regular and the soil drains quickly so the root of Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is never submerged in water.
When you notice that the top two inches of the soil is out you need to water them. There is no need for a regular watering schedule; rather than that you can check it with the finger to find how wet the soil is.
You should water the plant with distilled or rainwater.

Humidity:

The humidity requirement of Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is moderately high.
The ideal humidity for Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is 60% or more.
If you find that the leaves of the plant are turning brown on tips or margins on leaves then that is high time to provide the plant with high humidity.
If you provide the plant with misting it will help the plant to boost up the growth and the wet leaves will help you to foster disease.
You can also use a water-filled pebble tray and keep plants on it.
Another option for maintaining the humidity is by buying a humidifier.

Soil:

In the case of fulfilling the soil requirement you need to consider two key things such as the soil needs to stay moist evenly and needs to be drained well.
The plant is not able to grow or tolerate the soggy soil.
You need to have a pH level of the soul that is from 5.5 to 6.
The perfect condition of the soil is 100% peat moss which is able to retain moisture and helps roots from being drowned.
If you add well-rotted compost then there is no need to add fertilizer for Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’.

Fertilizer:

In case, if you have not added any compost to the soil mix then you need to use fertilizer.
You can use the balanced fertilizer ratio in 3-1-3 or 3-1-2 and will make leaves grow.
You can add liquid fertilizer by diluting it to half-strength and use the mixture once a month.
Always add fertilizer after watering Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’.
You can add the fertilizer monthly during the growing season such as in spring and summer and don’t add it during fall and winter.

Potting & Repotting:

You need to Repot the Philodendron Rojo Congo every year unless the plant grows to the full size.
You will find the roots are growing out of the drainage holes as it is high time for repotting the plant.
For repotting a plant you need to change the pot and move the plant to a larger pot size.
To choose the pot you need to just increase an inch or 2 inches as choosing a larger size will not be as good for their growth.
You need to make sure that the pot has enough drainage holes.

Pruning:

The Philodendron Rojo Congo is able to grow into its natural shape, remain compact and neat and doesn’t need shaping.
If you find any dead leaves on the plant you need to trim it off so that it doesn’t spread the infection to the whole plant.
If you find brown edges along the margins of Philodendron Rojo Congo you can cut the whole leaf using small, sharp scissors rather than cutting the whole leaf.

Propagation:

The Philodendron Rojo Congo can be propagated by dividing the offsets because most of the work is already done by the plant.
You can propagate the plant when you are repotting as that time you have removed the root ball from the pot.
You need to check small plantlets that you can find around the edges of the mother plant.
While propagating you need to make sure they have both roots and stems.

Common Problems of Philodendron Rojo Congo

As I mentioned a plant faces various problems when it grows so do you know about the problems faced by the Philodendron Roju Congo plant?

If yes then it’s great but if not then you should be aware of it. Below are the points that will let you know about the common problems faced by the plant and its solutions:

Dark-colored patches on the leaves

It is one of the problems faced by the plant in its growing season.
Why does it happen? It happens if you expose your plans to the cold drafts in night long.
So it is important to change the location of the plant to a warmer location.

Translucent leaf spots

Sometimes you will observe the dirty smell from the fluid, it shows the infection caused by Xanthomonas.
It forms an outline near the yellow spots on the leaves.
So you have to remove it by not watering the plant.

Brown crispy edges

Sometimes you will observe the brown crispy edges on the leaves. What are they?
It happens due to a lack of care of the plant. If you do not maintain your plants they will produce Brown crispy edges in the leaves.
It is because the soil becomes dry without water so you have to immediately water the plant.
So it is recommended to maintain a healthy watering schedule for the plant so that you enjoy its benefits.

The pale color of the leaves

As you know, the plant produces burgundy-colored leaves in the plant, but it will fade with time.
But why so it is because of the slow growth of the plant.
It indicates that the plant is not receiving enough sunlight for its growth.
A lower supply of sunlight will weaken the color of the plant and make it pale.

Pests

Pest problems are faced by every Gardner in his home garden. They tend to attack the plan for the sap in the leaves.
Pests like aphids, spider mites, and mealybugs will ruin the plant if not treated on time.
So it is important to wipe your leaves with the help of insecticidal soap once time in a month.
You will observe them under the leaves of the plant, so you have to wash the plant with a hose.
For mealybugs, you can make use of alcohol dip cotton to rub it on the leaves and remove them from your plant.

How to identify the Philodendron “Rojo Congo” cultivar?

Do you know how to identify the philodendron Roju Congo cultivar in numerous plants and vegetables in your home garden?

If yes, then it’s great, but I am here to help you identify this cultivar easily with the following points:

This variety will be wider as compared to other cultivars.
Also, its leaves are ovate to elliptical.
It will form compact rosettes in the leaves.
You will observe its long and thick petiole.
Also, it is petioles are purplish brown in color.
If you provide them with ideal conditions, then they will grow more fast.

Tips to keep Philodendron “Rojo Congo” problem-free

Below are the tips to keep Philodendron away from the problems. they are as follows:

You have to keep the plants indoors in your home garden so that it does not get bothered by the frost.
Keep your plant away from the cold draft as they can harm the growth of the plant.
Provide your plant with a good amount of indirect sunlight.
Providing them with the ideal range of temperature that is 65°F to 80°F will be best for the plant.
Before the plant begins to grow actively in its season, you have to Repot it in the time of spring season.
Try to keep the soil moist in the plant when the plant is growing actively.
Providing it with a good amount of dilute chemical fertilizer will help it grow at a faster speed.
To prevent pests in the plant, you can make use of Neem oil, and insecticidal soap, or you can even wash off the leaves with a hose.
Provide a good amount of airflow in the plant.
The preferred high level of humidity to grow and maintain its shiny foliage in the plant.
So it is suggested to keep misting the plant with water on a daily basis.

Wrapping up the Context

In this guide, you come to know that Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a plant that originated from South America and you can see them in the understories of the jungle where it is warm and humid. Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a species that is a cross between two plants such as the Imperial Red Philodendron and the Tatei.

For planting the Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ growing you need you need to properly maintain the environment for growing them and I have properly explained it according to my experience in gardening. I hope you understand the guide well.

Thanks for reading! Happy Gardening!