April 19, 2022

Hey Plant Friends!

This week we are talking about Thaumatophyllum spruceanum formerly and more commonly known as Philodendron goeldii.This plant belongs to the Araceae or Aroid family and is native to Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela and is known for its incredible fingerlike, spiraling leaves. When you meet this plant in its juvenile form, it looks nothing like its mature form! Philodendron goeldii starts off as a small, 3 lobed, sometimes less, leaved plant. As it matures it creates over 10 large, long leaves that spiral in a circle on one stem! If you have a large space to fill in your home and want a stunner of a plant, we highly recommend these beauties!

Let’s talk about care. Philodendron goeldii are going to grow best in bright, indirect light. It can handle some direct light, but we wouldn’t suggest putting it in a full sun environment as that will lead to leaf scortch. Plant in a well-drained soil mix such as Sol Soils Houseplant Mix which is great for aroids. Watering is easy with the Philodendron goeldii. Water once or twice per week during the growing season, but back off in the winter months allowing the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry down. As always, make sure you pot has a drain hole to avoid having your plant sit in standing water which will lead to root rot. As we know when collecting plants pests are a common issue to deal with. A few pests to look out for include mealy bugs, spider mites, and aphids. Check weekly while watering, especially on the undersides of the leaves ‘cause that’s where pests love to hangout. Keep a bottle of  Bonide’s Insect Control on hand to treat as needed.

Philodendron goeldii is available in greenhouse in 8” pots. If you have additional questions feel free to reach out to us by phone, Instagram, or email us - hello@tonkadale.com.

Happy Planting!