Underside of a Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ leaf showing bronze-green tones, fine veins and a reddish petiole

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ in an orange nursery pot, with a large veined green leaf and reddish new growth

Young Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ in a root plug with a copper-toned new leaf and narrow green leaves

Three Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ plug plants with small green and bronze leaves above exposed rooting plugs

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ plug plant with an upright yellow-green leaf and smaller green leaves

Three Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ plug plants showing heart-shaped leaves and bronzy emerging growth

Three Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ plug plants with dark green, bronze and pale juvenile foliage

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ foliage with a large green heart-shaped leaf and a bronze leaf behind it

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ with a large dark green heart-shaped leaf and smaller leaves in an orange pot

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ in an orange nursery pot with green and bronze heart-shaped leaves and pale veins

Three potted Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ plants showing different sizes and green-to-bronze foliage

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ in a dark nursery pot with a velvety green leaf beside a copper-coloured leaf

Close-up of a Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ leaf showing its velvety dark green surface and pale branching veins

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ with green and olive heart-shaped leaves in a light grey nursery pot

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ in an orange nursery pot, with overlapping green leaves and pale veins

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ in a dark grey nursery pot with a veined green leaf and a bronze leaf

Araceae

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ (Philodendron rubrijuvenile)

5 for 4

Broad to elongated heart-shaped leaves with a velvety upper surface line the climbing stem of Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’. Young foliage usually has crimson undersides that can become greener as the leaves mature.

Read full guide to Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ (Philodendron rubrijuvenile)

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Plug (Starter Plant) Plug Ø 3 cm · approx. 10 cm tall Sold outM Pot Ø 12 cm · approx. 25 cm tall

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Sizes are approximate. Height is measured from the bottom of the pot to the top of the plant; diameter at the widest point.

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Care at a glance

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ (Philodendron rubrijuvenile)

Light

Bright indirect • approx. 10,000–20,000 lux

Watering

Water when ~30–50% dry

Substrate

Airy + fast-draining • Light moisture buffer • Bark-based • Medium-chunky

Temperature

Ideal: 18–29 °C • Avoid below: 15 °C

Humidity

High 60–80% +

Growth habit

Climbing hemiepiphytic herbaceous perennial.

Support

recommended

Growth speed

High

Cultivated size guide

Height with support: 250 cm • Spread: 100 cm

Toxicity & safety

Toxic

Origin & habitat

Cultivar of Philodendron rubrijuvenile; species native to Colombia

Outdoor growing

Outside from 15 °C · sheltered spot

How to read these values

These care values give practical guidance for growing the plant. Adjust care for pot size, substrate, temperature and how quickly the substrate dries.

For more detail, read the full product description or visit our Plant Care Guides.

Light: level and approximate lux at leaf level.
Watering: “% dry” shows how far the substrate should dry before watering again.
Substrate: structure, drainage, moisture retention, base material and particle size.
Temperature: “Ideal” shows the preferred range; “Avoid below” marks the cold-stress threshold.
Humidity: target range; steady conditions usually matter more than exact numbers.

Growth habit: how the plant grows, such as upright, climbing, trailing, clumping or rosette-forming.
Support: whether a stake, pole or trellis is needed, optional or unnecessary.
Growth speed: expected pace under suitable growing conditions; use as a guide, not a promise.

Cultivated size guide: approximate dimensions for an established plant in the stated growing context. Height is measured upwards from the growing surface; foliage height excludes flower stems. Trailing length follows a stem, while foliage drop is the vertical distance from the crown to the lowest leaf tips. Spread is the width of the leafy plant or crown, not an individual leaf. Flowering height includes the flower stems. A container guide applies to pot-grown plants; an in-ground guide applies to plants rooted in the ground. Size also depends on age, conditions, pot space and training.

These figures do not describe the size supplied and are not fixed upper limits.

Toxicity & safety: irritation, toxicity or physical hazards such as spines or bristles.
Origin & habitat: native range, hybrid background or typical habitat where relevant.
Outdoor growing: when a potted indoor plant can be placed outside and what outdoor protection it needs.

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’

Young leaves may emerge dark red or burgundy, and their undersides are often crimson. As each leaf expands and hardens, its upper surface becomes deep green and remains velvety-looking, while the underside may become greener with age. The leaves range from broad to elongated heart shapes and are carried along a climbing stem.

Key traits of P. rubrijuvenile

Accepted species name Philodendron rubrijuvenile Croat & R.Kaufmann
Climbing growth suited to a stable vertical support
Broad to elongated, heart-shaped leaves with a velvety-looking upper surface
Usually crimson undersides on immature foliage
Deep green mature leaves, with juvenile red that may become greener with age

Origin & background

Cultivated identity and natural origin of Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ (Philodendron rubrijuvenile)

‘El Choco Red’ is the cultivated name associated with Philodendron rubrijuvenile, a species from Colombia’s wet tropics. Its exact wild locality remains unknown.

Plant care

Care for Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ (Philodendron rubrijuvenile)

Support: Give the climbing stem a pole, plank or similar vertical support. Secure it gently without crushing the leaf stalks.
Humidity and airflow: Aim for a humid 60–80% range, paired with gentle circulation around the foliage. Protect it from very dry heated air and avoid leaving the foliage persistently wet.
Light: Bright filtered or indirect light suits the foliage. Protect it from sudden strong sun and let the plant adjust gradually to changes in light exposure.
Water: Water thoroughly after the upper layer begins to dry, then drain the container fully.
Potting mix: Use a free-draining aroid mix that retains some moisture and leaves air around the roots.
Temperature: Maintain roughly 18–29 °C. Move the plant away from cold sources as temperatures approach 15 °C. Protect the plant from cold draughts and abrupt temperature changes.
Feeding: Apply fertiliser at a moderate dose while the plant is actively growing.
Repotting: Move it up one pot size once the root ball is clearly crowded. Keep the climbing support secure and stabilise the pot if the plant becomes unbalanced.
Propagation: Use a healthy stem section with at least one node; an aerial root on that node can help it establish.

Issues & solutions

Changes and problems in Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’

Young leaves are crimson or burgundy: New growth may emerge dark red, and crimson leaf undersides may become greener with age. This is normal; let the leaves expand and harden before assuming damage.
The exposed side of a leaf turns pale or bleached after stronger light: A dry bleached area after stronger exposure is consistent with light or heat injury. Move the plant into filtered light and acclimate it gradually to future changes. Damaged tissue will not recover its colour. If the area is wet or continues to spread, isolate the plant and have the cause identified.
The plant wilts or yellows while the root ball stays wet: Pause watering and check drainage. If the plant stays wilted or yellow while the root ball is still wet, check the root system. When roots are firm and drainage is sound, let the upper mix reach the usual dry cue before watering again. Repot firm roots if the medium has collapsed or drains slowly. If rot is confirmed, use disinfected scissors to cut only mushy, decayed root sections back to firm tissue and discard them. Repot the surviving firm roots in fresh, airy mix. If no firm roots remain or rot reaches the stem base, take a cutting only from a firm healthy node above the damage. Discard the soft material; if no firm healthy node is left, the affected plant cannot be salvaged.
Silver scars, dark specks or fine webbing: Silvery marks and black specks on unfurling leaves can indicate thrips; pale stippling and fine webbing on undersides can indicate spider mites. Inspect new growth and contact points around the climbing support, separate affected plants, gently rinse sturdy foliage and apply a houseplant product labelled for the confirmed pest. Repeat according to its label. See the thrips guide and spider-mite guide.
Leaves become smaller or gaps between them lengthen: Low light or weak contact with the support can contribute. Secure the stem to its support, improve filtered light gradually if the position is dim and judge the response from later leaves.

Safety

Philodendron ‘El Choco Red’ (Philodendron rubrijuvenile) is toxic to people and pets

Keep this plant away from children, cats and dogs.
Its leaves and stems contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which can irritate the mouth, throat, skin and eyes.
Chewing may cause burning pain, drooling, swelling, vomiting or difficulty swallowing. Contact a veterinarian or medical professional after exposure, especially if swelling or breathing problems occur.

Names & etymology

What does the name Philodendron mean?

Philodendron combines Greek philein, meaning “to love,” with dendron, meaning “tree.”

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Philodendron in 1829 in Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater und Mode, volume 3, page 780.

Plant names, growth habits, natural habitats and indoor care guidance are checked against trusted botanical, habitat and horticultural references before publication.View our plant care resources and references.