Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’

Selection history of Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’

Around September 1977, Paul DeCoster obtained random seedlings from Bamboo Nursery in Apopka, Florida. He grew them in Melle, Belgium, and selected the plant that became Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’. Tissue-culture propagation began around 1982.

A plant patent application was filed on 6 November 1986, and USPP6337P was published on 11 October 1988. The species and parentage of ‘Imperial Red’ remain unknown.

Everyday care for Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’

Light. Give the plant bright filtered light for balanced growth and increase the light gradually to protect fresh leaves. Rotate the pot gradually when the crown develops more strongly on one side.

Temperature range: Keep temperatures around 18–29 °C, avoid prolonged temperatures below 15 °C and protect the plant from draughts.

Humidity. Maintain the surrounding air in the 50–60% range.

Watering. Feel below the surface of the mix and lift the pot. Water Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’ only when the upper layer feels dry, has lost its cool dampness and the pot is noticeably lighter. Water thoroughly and drain fully.

A dry, open centre. Plant in an airy mix and a freely draining pot. Direct water to the potting mix and keep the spaces between leaf stalk bases dry, since the close crown dries slowly. Gentle airflow helps the centre dry after an accidental splash.

Feeding. Keep feeding modest during active growth with houseplant fertiliser, scaling it back when new growth slows.

Stability and repotting. The rosette on its short stem maintains its upright form in a stable container. Repot when roots are crowded or the broadening rosette becomes unstable, choosing a steadier container that is slightly larger and drains freely.

Propagation: Propagate from an established offset when one appears, or from an accessible stem section with a node. Preserve the sole growing point; only stem material with at least one node can produce a new shoot.

Reading changes in Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’

• New leaves change from maroon to green: This is normal as they mature. Young petioles may combine dark green and reddish grey, older petioles turn browner green, and the separate petiole sheaths can stay red-purple. Compare healthy growth at similar stages.
• The free-standing rosette leans or its pot tips: One-sided light, uneven foliage, crowded roots or an unstable container can cause leaning. Rotate gradually, check root space and choose a sturdier pot if needed; this compact plant usually supports its own crown.
• Pale speckles, silver scars or insect deposits appear: Look into rolled growth and leaf bases using reflected light. Fine webbing can indicate spider mites, silvery scars and dark specks thrips, cottony clusters mealybugs and fixed bumps or sticky residues scale. Isolate confirmed infestations, remove accessible pests and use a houseplant treatment labelled for the identified pest on both exposed and hidden feeding sites, following the label.
• Water is trapped in the centre or wet leaf spots spread: Blot away water from the crown, restore warmth and airflow and keep the centre dry. Soft, translucent or foul-smelling crown tissue can signal rot. Wet, haloed or enlarging leaf lesions may indicate bacterial or fungal disease. Keep an affected plant separate, if tissue is clearly rotten and soft, cut only that area back to firm growth using disinfected tools and discard the decay. Obtain a diagnosis before targeted chemical treatment.
• Leaves droop over a dry or saturated root ball: If the pot is light and dry, rewet the entire root ball and allow complete drainage. If the pot stays heavy and wet, pause watering, remove standing water and check the outlet. If decline continues, inspect the roots and preserve every firm section. Cut only clearly rotten, soft roots back to healthy tissue with disinfected scissors and discard the decayed pieces. Replace collapsed medium with fresh, airy mix.

Philodendron ‘Imperial Red’ 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.

Why is it called Philodendron?

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.