What it is
Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) is in the Araceae (Arum) family. A pothos look-alike that's just as easy - trailing heart-shaped leaves that root from any node in water.
How to grow it
It wants bright indirect light, water it low to moderate, and give it any potting mix soil. Target a soil pH around 6.0-6.5. Space plants about Pot apart. Expect roughly Roots in water fast. Tender houseplant.
How it's used
Heartleaf Philodendron is used: houseplant.
🔎 How to identify it
- Soft heart-shaped leaves
- Trailing vines
- Aerial roots at nodes
Not for eating
How to grow & propagate heartleaf philodendron
Everything I've worked out about starting this one, keeping it alive through a Texas year, and turning one plant into many — free.
How to propagate heartleaf philodendron
The arum family is propagated vegetatively, not from seed. The edible types (taro) grow from cormels — offsets you break off the parent corm. The houseplant members (pothos, philodendron, monstera) root from stem cuttings taken at a node; drop them in water and they'll root in a couple weeks.
Beginner's path: take more cuttings than you think you need. They're free, they cost you nothing but a few minutes, and the ones that take more than make up for the ones that don't. This is how a single plant becomes a hedge, a row, or a gift for every neighbor on the street.
Growing heartleaf philodendron in Texas
Give it bright indirect light and any potting mix soil. Match the spot to the plant and most of the battle is already won.
Time your planting to our long warm season and watch the frost dates at both ends; the live weather tool on this site is built for exactly that.
In a container it'll dry faster than in the ground, so check the top inch of soil daily in summer; pots on a hot Texas patio can need water every single day.
Harvesting
Figure on roughly roots in water fast before you're harvesting. Pick herbs in the morning after the dew dries for the strongest oils, and harvest little and often — regular cutting keeps a herb bushy and stops it bolting.
Making more for free
If you want more, let your healthiest plants mature fully and collect the seed once it's dry on the plant — then store it somewhere cool, dark, and dry until next season.
Part of the free Texas Roots plant database, compiled by Jordan Polasek from his greenhouse in El Campo, Texas. Free to read and share. If it helped, the best thanks is to grow something.