The Philodendron Moonlight is a beautiful houseplant that is easy to care for. It has vibrant and playful green leaves. This plant will surely brighten up any room in the house.
Philodendron Moonlight is a Beautiful Houseplant
Philodendron Moonlight plants look gorgeous sitting on a table or shelf. Philodendrons tend to make great houseplants, and the Moonlight variety is a prime example.
When we moved into our home, this was one of the first plants that we bought. I fell in love with the lively green color of the leaves immediately.
The leaves also unfurl by unfolding and uncurling. As a result, there is a lot of movement happening with this plant.
Full leaves also have some wavy shape. Consequently, no two leaves look the same at any given moment.
The Philodendron Moonlight is a very happy and playful plant. It absolutely brightens up the room. And best of all, it is extremely easy to care for.
Philodendron Moonlight Care
How do you take care of a Philodendron Moonlight? How do you get it to grow new leaves?
A Philodendron Moonlight is an uncomplicated plant. Three basic requirements:
- Light: Bright, indirect light for best growth.
- Water: Water semi-frequently, when the top few inches of the soil is dry.
- Soil: Chunky soil that retains some moisture.
Light
Moonlight philos grow best in bright indirect light. That means, it will happily keep growing upwards and producing new leaves in a room with a bright window.
I have my plant about five feet away from giant south facing windows. The plant gets a couple hours of direct sunlight during some months of the year too.
The leaves are soft to the touch. As a result, if you set the plant too close to a window with long hours of direct sun, they will burn quite easily.
Water
Philodendrons need somewhat consistent watering, but will suffer from root rot if they are overwatered. Water when the top few inches of the soil look and feel dry.
Bottom watering
I try to always bottom water my philodendrons. That simply means letting the water come up to the roots through the bottom drainage hole.
To bottom water, set the pot in a big bowl. Next, fill the bowl with about 3-inches of water. The water should go just about halfway up the pot. Then, I let the the plant soak up the water from the drainage hole for about five minutes, topping up the water as necessary.
Soil
Like all philodendrons, this plant prefers a chunky well draining soil that retains some moisture. That may sound complicated. But it really isn't.
You can buy fancy premixed aroid soil directly online. However it can be a bit pricey.
Alternatively, you can easily make your own. To do so, start with the Miracle-Gro Tropical Potting Mix. Although this readily available mix is marketed for tropical plants, like philodendrons, I find that it retains too much moisture.
Next, I mix any or all to the Miracle-Gro Tropical Potting Mix:
- lava rocks
- pumice
- coco coir
- orchid bark
Once you get your Moonlight Philodendron into the proper soil, it will be a breeze to correctly water it.
Get New Leaves to Unfurl - Does it Need a Humidifier?
Philodendron Moonlight leaves unfurl by both unfolding and uncurling. Once the leaves unfold and open out, it can take a while for the leaves to fully uncurl.
You can see a curled up leaf in the photo of my plant. This picture is taken in the middle of winter, and we run the heater constantly. I don't run a humidifier regularly. As a result, the humidity level is not optimal for the plants.
The lack of humidity slows down the rate the leaves fully open. If you want, you can place this plant in a humid location or run a humidifier. But even without a humidifier, the plant will grow and remain happy enough.
Once it warms up and the heater is no longer constantly on, it accelerates its growth.
Is Philodendron Moonlight a Climber?
No, a Philodendron Moonlight is not a climbing plant. This philo has an upright growth habit. In other words, it has a thick central stem from which leaves grow outwards.
This philodendron is a perfect plant for a table top or shelf. Since it is not a climber, and it is not a vining plant, it does not need supports.
Mature Philodendron Moonlight
Mature Philodendron Moonlights continue to grow upright. They will become bush like, with a central thick stem.
How big does a Philodendron Moonlight get? When I bought the plant, I was told that the plant would get at most 24'' tall. As the plant grows, it can spread about 24'' also.
Does it grow quick?
I've had this plant for about two years now. It started as a 4'' plant. Last summer, I repotted it into a 5'' pot.
It's not a very big plant, although it is constantly producing new leaves. You can see in the photo, there are at least six leaves in various stages of unfurling.
By keeping it a little bit root bound and in a 5-inch pot, I think I am restricting the growth a little bit. My goal isn't to have the fastest growing plant though. As such, I'm happy with the rate of growth.
If you give the Philodendron Moonlight excellent care, it can be a fast growing plant.
Philodendron Lemon Lime vs Moonlight
Philodendron Lemon Lime is not the same as a Philodendron Moonlight. Don't get confused just because they have similar colors in their names.
Philodendron Lemon Lime is a vining plant with heart shaped leaves. Also, it has more of a pale yellow lime color.
Philodendron Moonlight grows upright from a central stem. Moreover, the leaves are elongated. It also has a yellow green color. However, as compared to the Philodendron Lemon Lime, the color of the Moonlight plant is more bold and brilliant.
Is Philodendron Moonlight Rare?
Philodendron Moonlight is not considered a rare plant. You can find it fairly easily online, like on Amazon. Additionally, it is not pricey compare to other rare plants.
That being said, personally, I have only seen this plant on sale at specialty plant stores. I have not seen them sold at big box stores or nurseries.
It also cost more than other philodendron varieties. So, while it is not considered rare, you may need to keep an eye out for it and search it out a bit.
Is Philodendron Moonlight Easy to Care for?
Yes! Your Philodendron Moonlight will happily keep growing if you keep in mind these few care tips:
- Place in a bright room with indirect light
- Use a chunky and well-draining soil that retains some moisture
- Water when the top few inches of the soil feel dry
If you are unsure about anything, you can read detailed care instructions above.
Styling Tips
The Moonlight Philodendron works best on a table or shelf because of its upright growth. Once it gets larger, it would also look great sitting on a single plant stand.
Avoid using a hanging planter or wall planter for this plant. It will appreciate space around it as it grows. So, don't put it up against a wall.
Pot Shape Recommendations
Since the leaves of this philodendron look very lively, this plant looks great in most any simple pot. Avoid an overly ornate pot that will draw attention away from the leaves.
I like how my plant sits in a straight cylinder pot. However, I think it would also look great in a round bowl shape planter.
Looks Great Next To
I have my plant next to a Scindapsus Exotica and the Scindapsus Treubii Moonlight (Sterling Silver). I think the colors of these plants look great next to the Moonlight Philo.
Do you have any care tips and experiences with the Moonlight Philo? I would love to hear below.
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