January 2023 Plant of the Month from our monthly newsletter: ‘Brasil’Philodendron
I love any plant that is variegated, and I love any plant that is easy to grow. Here is where those two preferences overlap: Philodendron scandens ‘Brasil’. This variegated houseplant variety is named after the green and yellow flag of Brazil. However, when referring to this plant, spell Brazil with the “s” the way the Brazilians do, as that’s how the name was registered.
This variegated form of the popular “heart leaf philodendron” is extremely easy to grow. Just give it very bright indirect light, or a few hours of morning sun, and water when dry. Ours gets watered just once a week—if I feel any moisture in the soil when I touch it with a finger, I wait another week. Yes, they’re that durable. You can let them cascade down from a pot the way we do, or you can train it vertically up a moss pole or wooden stake. If you grow them as a climber, the leaves will get larger and larger the higher it climbs. In addition to being easy to grow, ‘Brasil’ is very easy to propagate. Just snip off a piece of stem, remove any leaves that would be below the water line, and place it in a glass of water with 3-4 inches of water in it. Roots will form within a few weeks and the plant can be planted into potting soil when the roots are an inch or two long. Easy! This variety is not hard to find at all, most nurseries with large houseplant options will carry it, as will most of our local houseplant stores (Magnolia Downtown, as an example).
Happy gardening! Grant
Submitted by Member and former Club President Grant Meyer
I love any plant that is variegated, and I love any plant that is easy to grow. Here is where those two preferences overlap: Philodendron scandens ‘Brasil’. This variegated houseplant variety is named after the green and yellow flag of Brazil. However, when referring to this plant, spell Brazil with the “s” the way the Brazilians do, as that’s how the name was registered.
This variegated form of the popular “heart leaf philodendron” is extremely easy to grow. Just give it very bright indirect light, or a few hours of morning sun, and water when dry. Ours gets watered just once a week—if I feel any moisture in the soil when I touch it with a finger, I wait another week. Yes, they’re that durable. You can let them cascade down from a pot the way we do, or you can train it vertically up a moss pole or wooden stake. If you grow them as a climber, the leaves will get larger and larger the higher it climbs. In addition to being easy to grow, ‘Brasil’ is very easy to propagate. Just snip off a piece of stem, remove any leaves that would be below the water line, and place it in a glass of water with 3-4 inches of water in it. Roots will form within a few weeks and the plant can be planted into potting soil when the roots are an inch or two long. Easy! This variety is not hard to find at all, most nurseries with large houseplant options will carry it, as will most of our local houseplant stores (Magnolia Downtown, as an example).
Happy gardening! Grant
Submitted by Member and former Club President Grant Meyer
