Philodendron Verrucosum 101

Between the absolutely striking leaves, red undersides, and fuzzy petioles, the Philodendron Verrucosum is by far one of the most gorgeous plants.

With such beautiful and delicate foliage, the care for this philodendron can sometimes be a bit tricky.

Don’t be fooled, though. When given the right conditions, this plant can take off growing and never stop.

We’re going to be discussing how you can best love your Verru so that it will, in turn, push out amazing growth.

*Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I do receive a small commission if you purchase a product using my link, with no addition cost to you!*

Fun Facts about the Philodendron Verrucosum

This jungle plant is typically found naturally in Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

It’s primarily known as an epiphyte, which means it grows attaching its roots to a host (tree). This allows the plant to grow as big as possible, reaching leaves around 3 feet long.

Physical Features of the Verrucosum

As a new, mature Verrucosum leaf forms and begins to unfurl, you’ll notice that the veins are a stunningly burgundy red.

Less mature leaves will be more of an all around green color.

This plant also has hairy petioles. (Petioles are what connect the leaf to the node- not to be confused with the stem.)

As it matures, the petioles will match the veins as a bright, deep red in color.

(I’m not sure if there is a certain benefit to having the hair on the petiole, but it does provide a very distinct appearance.)

How to Care for Your Philodendron Verrucosum

Light-

Most Philodendrons are known for being able to withstand lower light conditions. Although this plant is no different, the amount of indirect light is going to be the make or break between mediocre leaves and exquisite ones.

Since this is a smaller plant that grows in the jungle, it is naturally shadowed over by the bigger foliage. This is the lighting you want to mimic, when it comes to natural light.

If you live in a lower light space, you may want to invest in some grow lights like these. These will act as bright indirect light, helping your plants thrive in darker areas.

Please note that the leaves on the Verrucosum are velvety and thin. That being said, they can burn easily. Avoid direct sunlight like the plague. (LED grow lights are normally not as harsh and can be put closer to plants.)

Water-

In the spring and summer, your plant will want to keep slightly moist soil. Since it is a tropical philodendron, it wants to feel like it’s in the jungle.

But, during the winter, you’ll want to let your Verrucosum soil dry out between waterings.

If you use a moisture meter like this, you will probably want to keep the soil at about a moisture level of 4.

Pro tip: Use rain water to water your plants. They love it! I set out a bucket and a few vases on our steps when it rains. When they fill up, I pour them into some jugs and set them inside. Just make sure they aren’t in a well lit area to ensure they don’t begin growing algae.

Humidity-

Since the Philodendron Verrucosum is, once again, a tropical jungle plant, it will need higher humidity than the average houseplant.

My Verrucosums stay on a shelf at about 85% humidity. But, it doesn’t have to be this high. I would say your plant could stay happy in about 60-90% humidity.

If you don’t live in a humid area (or still want to show your plant babies extra love), there are a few ways you can increase the humidity in your house.

First things first, just get a humidifier like this. They are worth it, hands down.

If you are willing to splurge a little, this humidifier is one of the best options you can find. It has customizable levels on both mist and temperature.

Already have a humidifier and don’t want another? Add some vases filled 3/4 the way with water. That’s another quick fix, but will not work quite as well.

Temperature-

Even though we think of hotter temperatures in the jungle, the Philodendron Verrucosum is known to thrive best when in temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

But for cuttings, I root my Verrucosum on this exact heat mat. I leave the temperature to fluctuate around 69-75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ironically, this plant is actually known to root faster in the winter months, between 60-70 degreed Fahrenheit.

Soil-

Although this Philodendron wants to stay slightly moist, it still needs well-draining soil.

You can choose to buy a good medium like this or make your own.

To make my own mix, I mix 1/4 perlite, 1/4 spaghum moss, 1/4 Cococoir and 1/4 regular soil.

Climbing Verrucosum Plant Requirements

Although I have seen some people let their Philodendron Verrucosum trail in pots, it would prefer to have something to climb.

Seemingly, the Verrucosum will grow as big as you allow it. But, only if you are giving it a host. (Remember- they are epiphytes.)

Since most of the time you won’t have the right outdoor conditions to let it attach to a tree, you’ll have to improvise.

Most often, the easiest way to give your plant a totem is to add a moss pole. The moss allows your plant to root to it, giving it more stability to grow upwards.

For my smaller plants that are just rooting, I use a small moss pole like this.

If I am adding a moss pole to one of my fuller, more established plants, these are my favorite to add. (The best part about these is that you can add them as you go to increase height. That way, you don’t have to fully uproot and de-vine your plant.)

Propagating the Philodendron Verrucosum

Propagating this plant is pretty much the same as every other plant. You need to make sure your cutting, wet stick, or chonk has a node.

A node, as you may already know, is where your plant will start new growth from. Without it, you won’t be able to root or grow your plant.

Example 1:

For my first example, we’ll use a wetstick. (A wetstick is a leafless stick that has at least one node.)

Once you have placed your nodes, cut your wetstick on either side of the node. Just make sure you do not cut on, through, or throw away the node.

Then, I seal my cut ends with cinnamon and lay them flat on some hormone soaked perlite.

I then put them under these grow lights and on this heat mat in a Ziploc bag partially closed. (This helps up the humidity.) Now we wait!

Example 2:

For this example, we’re going to use a leaf that I had shipped here.

It was absolutely stunning as a cutting, but did not ship or acclimate well.

After I cut off the dead yellow and unfurled leaf, I then cut right below the node and seal it with cinnamon.

I then added it to a small pot of nutrient filled perlite and set it with the other wetstick.

Final Thoughts on the Verrucosum

I haven’t found this plant to be too terribly hard to grow. This post will get updated, by the way, on rooting progress (or failure).

With the stunning leaves and impeccable coloring, it’s a must-have for any plant collector out there.

If you have this plant, do you have any other care tips for me? Send me pictures, too! I’d love to see it.

If you don’t have one, is the Philodendron Verrucosum of any interest to you?

Signing off,

xoxo.