Blushing Philodendron
Philodendron erubescens
Philodendron erubescens is a climbing tropical perennial with glossy, heart-shaped leaves that run deep green on top and a striking reddish-copper on the undersides — that blush coloring extends to the petioles and even the spathe when it flowers. Indoors it stays a much more manageable 3 feet tall, though it wants a support to climb for best growth. The species has spawned dozens of popular cultivars including 'Pink Princess,' 'Prince of Orange,' and 'Imperial Red,' making it one of the most hybridized Philodendrons in cultivation.
Fun Facts
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!
The species epithet erubescens means 'blushing' in Latin — describing the reddish coloring that runs through the leaves, stems, and spathe throughout the plant's life.
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.