Philodendron White Princess Care

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The Philodendron White Princess is one of the more rare and harder to find Philodendrons on the market. They have beautiful white variegation that makes this Philodendron stand out of the crowd. Because of this unique look, the White Princess is in high demand among Phildoendron collectors.

If you are thinking about getting one of these gorgeous Philodendrons then you might be wondering how to care for a White Princess Philodendron. In this care guide, we go over all the info you need for a Philodendron White Princess.

Origin

The Philodendron White Princess is related to the Philodendron Pink Princess. Most of the care is about the same for these two cultivars of Philodendron plants.

The White Princess is often confused with the Philodendron White Knight, but it has smaller leaves than the White Knight. (Philodendron White Princess vs White Knight: What is the Difference?)

Scientific Name: Philodendron erubescens ‘White Princess’

Other Names

White Princess Philodendron

Quick Overview Of How to Care For a Philodendron White Princess

Water once the soil has dried out. Avoid overwatering.
Use distilled water or filtered water.
Bright indirect light with no direct sun.
Use an aroid soil mix.
Keep temperatures steady without much fluctuation and between 65°F and 85°F.
Humidity should be kept above 60%.
Fertilize during the spring and summer.
Propagation via stem cuttings or by dividing the plant.

Watering

Allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Test the soil by sticking your finger into the top of the medium up to a few inches deep. If this feels completely dry then it is time to water the plant.

Try to use filtered or distilled water. These plants can be more sensitive than other plants to chemicals and heavy metals in tap water.

The White Princess Philodendron is susceptible to root rot so it is extremely important not to overwater the plant. Underwatering these plants is better than overwatering them.

Light Requirements

Bright indirect light is needed for the Philodendron White Princess. Avoid direct sun, this can burn the variegated parts of the leaves easily.

Without bright light the plant will start to grow new leaves without as much variegation on them, so to keep the unique looking leaves of the White Princess it is important to give it adequate amounts of light.

If you find that you do not have an area that gives enough light for the plant, you can use LED grow lights to substitute natural light.

Soil

An aroid mixture for a soil medium is best for the White Princess. They need a very barky and well-draining soil that will not hold moisture too long.

A good way to get a proper aroid soil medium is to make your own with the following ratios:

20% potting soil
10% peat or coco coir
40% bark
10% perlite
10% worm castings

Temperature

Keep temperatures between 65°F and 85°F and avoid fluctuations.

The Philodendron White Princess is sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Also, avoid any cold drafts on the plant. Keep it in an area where it will not be near open doors, open windows, or air vents.

Humidity

The Philodendron White Princess loves high humidity. Keep humidity levels above 60% for these plants.

If there is not enough humidity then the white parts of the leaves will start to brown.

Fertilizer

Fertilize with an organic houseplant fertilizer during the spring and summer months. These months are the growing season for the plant so it will need more nutrients during this time.

Follow the directions on the fertilizer that you pick out. If you are looking for recommendations on a good organic fertilizer for houseplants we use Espoma Organic Indoor Plant Food regularly.

If you have just repotted your White Princess then you don’t need to fertilize for a couple of months because the new soil mix will have enough for the the plant for a few months. You risk damaging the plant if you give it fertilizer on top of the fertilizer already in the soil mix.

Growth

The Philodendron White Princess is not a super fast-growing Philodendron, but it does grow faster than a Pink Princess. It will grow about 2 to 3 new leaves during the summer months. In the winter and fall growth will slow to about 1 leaf per month.

It is a good idea to use a moss pole as some form of support for the plant to grow up. You can grow these without support, growth will be more compact and have smaller leaves than if allowed to climb up a pole.

Propagation

You can propagate a Philodendron White Princess by taking a cutting from the top of the plant.

If you don’t have your White Princess growing up a support pol then you can divide the plant as it grows. The video below gives great directions on how to do this.

Toxicity

The Philodendron White Princess is toxic to pets, both cats and dogs. All Philodendron plants are. If your pet chews on or ingests any of your Philodendrons contact your vet.

Common Problems and Pests

Even though it has some sensitivities to things like water, humidity, and temperatures, the White Princess holds up surprisingly well to pests. If you do find that you end up with some pests on the plant it will usually be either mealybugs or spider mites. You can use Neem oil or an insecticidal soap to combat these bugs.

Dust On Leaves

The other issue that owners of a White Princess will find is that dust will easily accumulate on the leaves. Make sure to keep up with cleaning the leaves off to remove any residue and dust build-up. This build-up can interfere with the plant being able to get enough photosynthesis going to support itself with good amounts of variegation on the leaves.

Where to Find a Philodendron White Princess For Sale

At the moment, the easiest place to find a White Princess Philodendron for sale is online. It can be found either through marketplaces like Etsy or through individually owned plant stores that have online stores. You might also be able to find these at some local plant stores, but YMMV.

Philodendron White Princess Price

At the time of writing this care guide, the Philodendron White Princess is ranging anywhere from $100 up to $300 from most online plant sellers. The Philodendron Whtie Princess is more expensive than other more common cultivars because of high demand and a lower supply of the plant.

Other Care Guides:

References:

Heartleaf Philodendron; ASPCA; https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/heartleaf-philodendron