Thaumatophyllum spruceanum 'Green Wonder' ('Fun Bun')

Species Background and Cultivated Names

Thaumatophyllum spruceanum is native to wet tropical northern South America, where it grows in forest and along river margins. It is also known as Philodendron goeldii, an older scientific name for the same upright-growing aroid.

Thaumatophyllum spruceanum ‘Green Wonder’ is also known as ‘Fun Bun’.

Light, moisture and root care

Root care, repotting and feeding: Keep the short stem and crown above the substrate surface, and move up one pot size after roots occupy the present container. Feed modestly during active leaf production. Remove an old leaf cleanly at the base without damaging the next central spear. Propagation is by seed or by division only if a rooted side growth develops; a detached leaflet or petiole cannot produce another plant.

Watering and root care: As the surface loses moisture, rewet the whole root ball and allow it to drain. Plant it in an open, moisture-retentive aroid substrate. This species is less comfortable with a deep, repeated drought than the thicker-stemmed T. bipinnatifidum, but its roots still need oxygen. A compact young plant should not be placed in a large reservoir of unused damp mix. In winter, lengthen the interval as leaf production slows.

Light and settling in: Thaumatophyllum spruceanum ‘Green Wonder’ grows best in bright filtered light or mild acclimated sun. Enough light supports its distinctive tiers of leaflets around the petiole, while intense midday sun can scorch nursery-grown foliage.

Pest and health checks for Thaumatophyllum spruceanum 'Green Wonder' ('Fun Bun')

Drooping leaves do not reveal what is happening in the pot. Feel through the root ball and check the roots. If the roots are sound and the mix has dried, wet the whole root ball and allow all excess water to escape. Soft roots should be cleaned back to firm tissue. If the stem base was buried too deeply, reset the plant at its original level in a looser mix. Do not cover the base with additional potting mix.

Thrips roughen unfolding leaflets, leaving silver damage and small black droppings. Mites instead leave much smaller pale dots, while scale forms fixed covers. Inspect the crown before choosing a treatment. Low light lengthens the leaf stalks and loosens the plant’s neat radial growth. Cold damage and soft rot look glassy or soft and need warmer, drier foliage and clean handling.

The finger-like whorl of leaflets on long slender stalks is normal and changes as the plant matures. Uneven angles alone do not mean the plant is wilting. A soft centre, sour smell or wet patch that continues to grow calls for a close check of the crown and roots.

Thaumatophyllum spruceanum ‘Green Wonder’ (‘Fun Bun’) 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.

About the names Thaumatophyllum spruceanum and Philodendron goeldii

Thaumatophyllum means ‘wonder leaf’. The epithet spruceanum honours British botanist and Amazon explorer Richard Spruce.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott established the genus Thaumatophyllum in 1859 in Bonplandia (Hannover), volume 7, page 31.

Heinrich Wilhelm Schott first described Thaumatophyllum spruceanum in 1859 in Bonplandia (Hannover), volume 7, page 31.

Cassia Mônica Sakuragui, Luana Calazans and Simon Mayo revived Thaumatophyllum for this group in 2018 in PhytoKeys, volume 98. Kew’s World Checklist treats Thaumatophyllum spruceanum as a synonym of Philodendron goeldii. Both names are still encountered.