Philodendron Pink Princess
Philodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess'
Not a hybrid. It's a chimera with two genetically different cell populations in one plant. Every leaf is a surprise, and that's the whole appeal.
Buy this plant $75 In Stock- Light
- Bright Indirect
- Humidity
- 50-60%
- Temperature
- 65-80°F
Light Requirements
Bright Indirect. Put it 3-5 feet from a south or east-facing window, out of direct sun. Direct afternoon sun will scorch the leaves!
Watering
Water when the top 2 inches are dry, roughly once a week in the warm months. In fall and winter, stretch it to every 10-14 days. Not sure if it needs water? Wait a day. Pink Princess handles a little drought way better than soggy roots.
Humidity
Target humidity: 50-60%. Normal home humidity of 40-50% is usually fine! Just keep it away from heating vents, which dry the air out fast.
Temperature
Keep it between 65-80°F. Watch out for cold drafts from windows in winter and hot air blowing from vents. Most tropical houseplants start struggling below 55°F, and frost will kill them.
Soil and Potting
Equal parts potting soil, perlite, and orchid bark. Classic aroid mix. Drains fast enough to prevent root rot but holds enough moisture that you're not watering every other day.
Propagation
Here's the key: make sure your cutting includes pink in the stem, not just the leaf. Cut below a node, grab 2-3 leaves, and root in water or sphagnum moss under bright indirect light. Roots show up in 2-4 weeks. Moss rooting is gentler when you transplant, if you've got the patience.
Common Problems
New leaves coming out solid green? It needs more light. Prune back to the last node that had pink and it should bounce back. Got a leaf that's entirely pink? Remove it. As cool as it looks, all-pink leaves can't photosynthesize and they'll drain energy from the rest of the plant.
Worth Knowing
- Pink Princess is a chimera, meaning it carries two genetically distinct cell types in one plant. The pink parts have anthocyanin pigment but zero chlorophyll, caused by a mutation in the growth tip. Every leaf is basically a genetic coin flip!
- Nobody actually knows where this plant came from. A Florida grower in the 1970s claimed he bred it from seven parent plants, but a botanist later proved some of those crosses were genetically impossible. Best guess? It just happened. Spontaneous mutation.
- It was never patented, which is wild for a plant this distinctive. There's zero record of it in R.H. McColley's breeding program either, and that guy documented everything. It's like the plant just showed up one day and nobody can explain it.
Toxicity
Toxic to cats and dogs. Contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause mouth irritation, drooling, and stomach upset. Not lethal, but definitely not a snack.