How to Grow & Care for Philodendron Selloum ‘Tree Philodendron’ (2024)

The Philodendron selloum does attract others due to its unique look having unusual-looking leaves that add newlines where you have planted it. The plant philodendron selloum is called by many different names such as horsehead philodendron, lacy tree philodendron, and split-leaf philodendron. 

Quick takeaways:

• The philodendron selloum can grow large enough that you have to make sure that there is big space so that they can spread out and look beautiful. 
• The Philodendron selloum plant does have beautiful split leaves.

The following table explains some important points for growing philodendron selloum that is further explained in detail below.

Scientific Name	Philodendron bipinnatifidum
Common Name	Philodendron selloum, Tree Philodendron, Lacy Tree
Light	Bright indirect sunlight
Watering	Weekly, water if the top of the soil is dry
Temperature	65 to 80ºF (18 to 27ºC)
Hardiness Zone	9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Humidity	70 to 90%
Soil Type	Rich, quick-draining, loamy
Soil pH	5.5 to 7.5 (acidic to neutral)
Fertilizing	A balanced feed once a month in spring and summer
Repotting	Every 2 years
Pruning	Spring or fall
Propagation	Root in water or soil
Toxicity	Toxic to humans and pets
Mature Size	6 feet as a houseplant
Bloom Time	Rarely blooms indoors

Grow & Care for Philodendron Selloum ‘Tree Philodendron’

The Philodendron selloum has originated from South America so you need to maintain the environment simit to that as much as possible. There are some important times you can plant a Philodendron selloum in your home. 

Light:

When we compare the planting with South American rainforest they grow under the shades of towering trees hence the light requirements for Philodendron selloum is bright light but only give them indirect sunlight that should be between 10000 to 20000 lux. You can also grow them in shadier locations also by providing them with about 6 hours of indirect light. 

Watering:

You need to water the Philodendron selloum but not saturated water so that the moisture level of the soil is maintained. If you notice the soil surface is dried out you need to water the plant. The perfect way of watering the Philodendron selloum is by pouring the water several times onto the soil and stopping when the water comes out from the bottom. 

Temperature:

The perfect temperature for Philodendron selloum ranges from 65 to 80 degree Fahrenheit and the temperature that the plant can tolerate is below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you keep the plant in contact with air conditioning it will make the plant drop off the leaves and also the exposure to the freezing temperatures will kill the plant. 

Humidity:

The humidity level of the plant is as high as 70 to 90%. If you find that the leaves of the plant started to curl then it means that they are dealing with low humidity for that you need to fulfill the humidity requirement by missing the leaves every day but make sure to use rainwater or distilled water. You can also take the help of a humidifier that maintains the air with a consistent humidity level. 

Soil:

The Philodendron selloum does need the soil which is moist all the time and well draining. For planting Philodendron selloum tree the pH level of the soil should be from 5.5 to 7.5 i.e. from acidic to neutral. For maintaining the soil requirement you don’t need soil mix but by just using peat moss will be enough for Philodendron selloum as the soil peat moss is enough to absorb sufficient water but also maintain the draining well. 

Fertilizer:

If you want that the leaves of the plant look bigger and healthiest then you need to use the best fertilizer that too in a ratio of 20-20-20. You can also provide the plant with a liquid household fertilizer by diluting it into half of the recommended strength and then applying the mixture on the salt surface once a month in the growing season such as Spring and summer. You need to apply the fertilizer after watering the soil because before that the nutrient will just go down and out of the pot. 

Potting & Repotting:

For repotting Philodendron selloum the perfect time is by every 18 months to 2 years. At that time the root will be coming out of the drainage holes. For repotting the plant don’t use too much bigger pot as the Philodendron selloum gets stressed out in large pots. You should bring the pot by just increasing the diameter of the pot by 2 inches. You can use a pot which is made up of unglazed clay for helping the pot from getting waterlogged. Make sure to use fresh potting soil for repotting a Philodendron selloum. 

Pruning:

The right time for pruning the Philodendron selloum is either in spring or in fall which is in the growing season. If you notice that the old leaves at the bottom are turning yellow as per the plant’s growth then you need to trim the leaves. Pruning of the plant is also needed so that the plant is able to fit in the space. If you don’t like the aerial appearance of roots you can cut those off but remember to use sharp, sterilized scissors so that it doesn’t get any toxic sap on the skin you are cutting the plant. 

Propagation:

Propagation is a very easy step for creating new plants for adding more to your garden or giving to others. According to me, the easiest way is by cutting the root stem in water. The following are the step for propagation:

• Firstly you need to choose a stem having at least 2 leaves and do have two or three nodes.
• Next, you have to remove all the leaves from the tip of the stem and then place the stem with the nodes in the water under the surface.
• Now place the jar with the water in a warm place but out of full sun and remember to change the water every week. 
• The approximate time for growing the routes sufficiently for transplanting may take 2 months. 

Common problems while growing philodendron selloum:

There are many problems to face while growing the plant but you need to maintain the growing condition if you want to prevent all these problems by regularly checking the leaves of the plant if you notice any change in the leaves of the plant this will be the first clue that the plant is dealing with some problem. The following are some problems you could find in philodendron selloum such as:

• Pests
• Disease. 
• Growing problems. 

Pests:

• The best way to cure your Philodendron selloum plants from pests is by wiping down both sides of the leaves once a month. 
• You can also use a damp cloth having insecticidal soap or name oil on it which will act very effectively against the bugs.
• The aphids are used to grow the underside of the leaves which are small green insects. 
• The plant can also get affected by Spider mites which leave yellow and white spots on the top of the leaves.
• You need to clean the leaf with the help of a spray to protect your plant from aphids and Spider mites. 
• The Mealybugs do look like a puff of cotton that grows underneath the leaves of the plant that you can easily remove with the help of a cotton ball which should be soaked in rubbing alcohol.
• Philodendron selloum plants also get scale which are brown bumps that grow on the stem of the plant. To remove them you need to scrape off and then use insecticide spray on it. 

Disease:

The following are some common disease that the plant get such as:

• You need to avoid overwatering the plant as most of the diseases are caused by over-watering. Which causes fungal or bacterial infection in the plants. 
• The bacteria starts to grow with the small wet dark green spots on the leaves of the plant causing it to make a yellow hole. 
• Root rot is also a fungal disease that is caused when the soil for growing the plant is wet. 
• The first symptom shown is the turning of Green Leaves to yellow and the stems of the plant get mushy. 
• In this case, you need to remove the root ball from the container and clear the soil as much as possible.
• We need to cut off the infected root leaves and stems and make the plant perfect to report them in fresh soil. 

Conclusion:

Hence I will conclude here by If you want the plant to grow faster then you need to maintain the adult condition of philodendron selloum that is being explained above in detail like bright, indirect light, warm temperature, high humidity, moist soil, fertilizer, etc