In this blog post, you’re going to learn how to easily care for pink princess Philodendron.
In fact, this is a complete guide about this type of Philodendron from propagating, and repotting to care and solutions of common problems.
Let’s Learn to care for this beautiful plant.
Pink Princess Philodendron (Fun Facts)
Philodendron is a gorgeous tropical plant. Due to its large heart-shaped, black, and pink variegated leaves, it is a popular indoor household plant. Moreover, this slow-growing plant can flower, though rarely when grown, in a room.
Pink Princess is rarer and more popular than its originator, Philodendron Erubescens. Its leaves have natural and permanent pink streaks, while Erubescens only becomes pink when its leaves are injected with certain chemicals.
Another name for this plant is “Sweetheart Plant” due to its glossy and heart-shaped leaves. This is a slow-growing plant with a maximum height of only 1.5 meters and a width of 1.2 meters.
Features of Pink Princess Philodendron
| Scientific Name | Philodendron erubescens |
| Common Names | Philodendron pink Princess, blushing Philodendron, Sweetheart Plant |
| Family | Araceae |
| Plant Type | Perennial |
| Mature Size | Tall 4-5 ft./90-120 cm, Wide 2-4 ft./30-60 cm |
| Sun Exposure | Bright Indirect Sunlight for 6 to 8 Hours |
| Soil Type | Loamy, Well-draining, Acidic soil |
| Bloom Time | Spring, summer |
| Flower Color | Green, white |
| Native Area | South America |
| Water | Once a week |
It grows like a vine climbing on moss poles or trellises. If you let it climb, its waxy leaves will have more bubblegum pink variegation. The leaves and stems will both grow bigger.
To grow this decorating plant in your room, you must maintain proper light but not direct sunlight and protect it from draughts and radiators.
The first and critical step is to find a suitable place for your plant. Then, you have to maintain optimum conditions for optimum growth. So here is a complete, comprehensive guide related to Pink Princess Care.
Flowers of Pink Princess
Pink Princess plants do flowers. However, their flowers are too small and rare. In the spring, they will bloom and display beautiful green and white flowers. Moreover, they only flower in the wild.
As people can’t observe blooming them, they are more interested in their colorful leaves.
Seeds of Pink Princess
Again, it is very rare to see the seeds of Pink Princess. These are produced only when the plant has successfully produced the fruits. However, it has white, kidney-shaped seeds.
Although this plant has seeds, it typically propagates through stem cuttings, so you should not buy its seeds.
Toxicity
This plant can prove poisonous due to its absorption of calcium oxalate crystals. This chemical causes itching, rashes, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, excess drooling, and gastrointestinal distress in humans and pets such as cats and dogs.
However, these are not poisonous enough to be lethal for you or your pets. But they need immediate treatment. Otherwise, the crystals will form in the urinary system, forming kidney stones.
Propagating
Pink Princess can either trail or climb during growth. It propagates through stem cuttings, which you can place in the water or soil.
- First, you have to cut a piece of stem about 5 inches in length, with 2 or 3 leaves and some growing nodes on it.
- Then, wait for some days until the callous is formed on the cutting.
- Now, you can place that part in the water or soil. If placed in water, you have to change the water regularly. Or if you want to grow in soil, you have to make a hole in the center of the soil mix. Then you can put the callous end in that hole.
- You can put a small amount of water in it to settle the soil. Moreover, you can use growth hormone for the cutting to grow rapidly.
To make the atmosphere humid, you can put a plastic cover. It will take two to three weeks for the roots to grow. So you have to maintain the above-mentioned conditions strictly.
Repotting
Repotting is very important for the better growth of an indoor plant. The optimum time for repotting is when the plant has outgrown its original pot. Generally, you should change after a year. Otherwise, roots will not find space to grow, which can damage the plant’s growth. Here are the easy steps to repot this plant.
- Take a slightly larger size than the previous one. The pot should have drainage holes.
- Then, soften the soil of the previous pot and tilt it slightly. Remove the plant without damaging any of the healthy roots. Cut the rotten roots.
- Now, hold the plant in the new pot and fill it with the soil mixture around the plant.
- Water the plant to settle the soil.
Now, repotting is completed, and you can treat your plant to all the previously optimum conditions.
Pink Princess Care
Pink Princess is an aroid plant native to the tropical region of Columbia. Its maintenance is relatively easy. However, its leaves can harm animals, so keep them away from these plants. Even its leaves and flowers can prove poisonous for humans.
Light
The variegation in the leaves occurs due to light. A decrease in chlorophyll causes the leaves to turn pink. Philodendron requires multiple hours of indirect sunlight. However, it can tolerate direct sunlight for a few hours. If the plant doesn’t receive the required sunlight, its pink leaves will revert to their previous dark green or even yellow color.
- Place your pink Princess in a place that gets enough light all day.
- Provide a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of indirect sunlight.
- Direct sunlight can enhance growth if the plant is placed indoors.
- You can buy a grow light that will enlighten your room for Pink Princess.
Soil
After you have selected a well-lighted spot in the room for your plant, the next step will be to make a loamy, nutrient-rich, and well-draining soil. Aroids need organic matter for proper growth. So make proper organic soil for this plant.
This is the easiest way to make perfect soil for indoor plants.
Mix peat, perlite, composted bark, and worm castings to make a well-aerated and porous mixture. To make it more organic, you can add garden compost, leaf mold, or manure. Add a small quantity of sand and grit; it will cause drainage.
Water
The timing and quantity of water have a significant effect on the growth of Pink Princess. The frequency of watering also changes with the seasons. In the summer season, you have to water more frequently than in the winter season. However, the best time to water the plant is when you feel the top layer of the soil is dry.
The general rule is to water the plant once a week in the warmer season and once every two weeks in the cooler season. Moreover, the quantity of water should be enough to be completely absorbed in the soil. Make sure to remove extra water, as it can result in root rot and, ultimately, the death of your precious plant.
Temperature and Humidity
The ideal temperature for the Philodendron is 65 to 79 °F / 18 to 26 °C. As it is a tropical plant, you have to maintain a warm and humid environment for better growth. Even though it is a hardy plant, it can’t tolerate low temperatures. Therefore, never keep these plants below 60 °F / 15 °C.
Moreover, the moisture of the plant must be checked continuously, and a minimum of 50 % humidity in the room should be maintained accordingly.
Fertilizer
Fertilize your Pink Princess according to its growth cycle. As its growth is maximum in spring and summer, you should spread liquid fertilizer in this season. However, you should avoid fertilizing in autumn as plants are dormant during this time.
Pruning
The beauty of the PPP is in the balance of green and pink leaves. That’s why you should prune regularly and remove the extra parts. Moreover, this will make your plant bushy and look more attractive.
You can prune simply by trimming the overgrown parts up to their nodes.
Uses of Pink Princess Philodendron
PPP( Pink Princess Philodendron ) is an amazing household plant with several advantages.
- This plant is a natural purifier of air. It absorbs toxins from the air, such as calcium oxalate. In this way, it improves your health.
- Philodendron is an adaptive plant. It can thrive in a wide range of temperatures. Even very little sunlight is enough for its growth. Moreover, it reflects all the diseases through different symptoms such as browning, yellowing, or drying of leaves. So you can easily understand any of the problems your plant faces. This makes this plant very easy to take care of.
Diseases Of Pink Princess
Pink Princess is exposed to several potential harms. The most common ones are as follows.
- Pests such as spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, and scale insects can cause yellowing, turning brown, weakening, and growth stunting in the plant. You can remove these pests by using insecticidal soap, neem oil, and alcohol.
- Root rot is a common problem caused due to over-watering. You should cut the damaged roots and repot the plant in fresh, well-draining soil.
- Sometimes, the leaves develop dark or black spots. These are due to bacterial and fungal infections. You can treat them with fungicides and bactericides but in small quantities.
Buying Guide
The price of a Philodendron ranges between $25 and $500. You can buy these plants online, or in physical stores. Before buying, you must ensure the plant is healthy and has pink variegation.
Check if the leaves have brown or black spots. These are the symbols of infection.
Varieties of Pink Princess
There are four main varieties of Pink Princess Philodendron.
Sparkle Pink Princess Philodendron
Its leaves have equal pink and green stripes on the leaves. The leaves of Sparkle Pink Princess are shiny and sparkling. You can only maintain this sparkle and shine in the leaves by providing them with prolonged bright, indirect sunlight and high humidity.
Black Cherry Pink Princess Philodendron
The leaves of this species are solid red and dark green in color. The dark green seems like black. The black cherry includes the rarest species. The combination of red and black looks sparkling. However, you have to provide sufficient indirect sunlight to maintain this contrast.
Marble Variegation Pink Princess Philodendron
This species has green, pink, and white colored leaves. You can keep marble yellow variegation through indirect sunlight. However, the main cause of these intricate marble colors is genetic variation.
Marble Pink Princess has smaller leaves resulting in a compact plant. Therefore, if you have a limited area, you should prefer this plant. However, you have to place it at a place with a temperature between 65 and 80 °F. Otherwise, its contrasting colors will disappear.
White Knight Pink Princess Philodendron
Its leaves resemble the leaves of Pink Princess in shape but not color. The leaves of White Princess are green and white in color. However, both require the same conditions to thrive.
Pink Princess Vs. Pink Congo
| Features | Pink Princess | Pink Congo |
| Color of Leaves | Stable green and pink color in leaves | Pink color disappears over time |
| Growth Rate | Medium growth rate | Slow growth rate |
| Price | Expensive | Less expensive |
| Care | Indirect sunlight, enough water, well-draining soil | Sufficient moisture, stabilized watering routine |
| Propagation Techniques | Need more care while stem cutting | Stem cutting but less care |
Pink Princess Vs. Red Anderson
| Features | Pink Princess | Red Anderson |
| Color of Leaves | Pink and green leaves | Burgundy-red leaves |
| Growth Rate | Medium | Slow |
| Price | Expensive | Cheaper |
| Care | Indirect sunlight, watering, porous soil | Bright indirect sunlight, medium watering, well-draining soil |
| Propagation | Stem cuttings | Stem cuttings and buds cutting |
Here you have it:
The complete guide about pink princess Philodendron.
What is your next step?
Are you propagating or repotting it?
or
Is it suffering from any disease and you decided to care for it?
Let me know in the comment box.
