My girlfriend and I have had this plant for over a year now and it has never really done well. We recieved it from a family member and do not know what it is. I tried letting it get some sun for a few days but as you can see from the leaves I don't think it liked that very much! I would really appreciate it if someone could tell me what this is so that we could care for it properly if it's not too late already!
Your plant looks something like mine...not doing very well. I forget to water mine & I don't think mine gets enough light. That being said, I somewhat remember what it looked like when I first got it & started looking for a name, since I forgot that too. Do your leaves feel soft (somewhat velvety)? "Velvet" is the name I recall was in the common name. I found Philodendron scandens ssp. micans, Velvet Leaf Philodendron is what I think it is. Maybe you can compare to the pic/info at the site below, or Google for other ones: http://www.denverplants.com/foliage/html/phimic.htm Mine had larger leaves & was more colorful when I first got it. Maybe some of the culture info at that site will help you (& now, me too) if that's it! :D
I don't believe this specimen is a philodendron. Instead, it appears to be a Homalomena hybrid, possibly a cultivar known as 'Emerald Gem'. There are a wide range of opinions about its care, but Homalomena 'Emerald Gem' appears to grow best under a wide variety of lighting and watering conditions. I received my information from a hybridizer in Central Florida that creates tissue cultured plants for the trade. These folks grow the plant as clones in order to make it readily available to plant enthusiasts. These growers recommend conditions similar to many orchids: bright filtered light between 75% and 80% along with a normal room temperature. In zone 10 the plant will survive well outdoors in temperatures as low as 55 degrees and high as 95 degrees. An aroid, Homalomena is found in nature in both South America and Tropical Asia. Unfortunately this one does not produce a beautiful inflorescence and spathe (flower) like many of it's relatives and is grown primarily for it's heart shaped leaves. The plant does however produce a small unremarkable green inflorescence (flower). The approximately 4 inch (10cm) leaves can spread 18" to 30" (45cm to 75cm) and will sometimes (rarely) grow as wide as three feet. If you're growing the plant in your home it makes a beautiful interior plant with it's dark green waxy leaves and compact growing habit. Homalomena sp. will in fact tolerate low light but don't expect it to flourish. Humidity is said to not be critical, but being found in nature in humid tropical conditions it will certainly appreciate high humidity as well. Homalomena does not like cold air, and some say it does not even like cold water. Protect it from drafty conditions. It must have well drained soil and if it's roots are not subjected to excess wetness (wet feet) the plant is fairly tolerant of root rot and other disease. This one is not propagated easily but will reproduce itself given good conditions. Plant it in a good soil mixture with lots of peat and Perlite added to hold moisture and make it available to the roots while not remaining soggy. We prefer to add a healthy helping of orchid bark to all our aroids to keep the soil very loose. Water the plant several times each week, more often during summer if subjected to heat. For best growth include a very dilute fertilizer, or as some growers say, fertilize "weakly weekly". Our specimen is grown in a simulated rain forest and has grown quite rapidly. We water every third day during the winter and almost daily during the heat of the year. You can find photos of plants similar to yours by simply Googling "Homalomena". As a side note, Philodendron scandens is simply a variation of Philodendron hederaceum. P. hederaceum is a confusing species since it has so many known growth forms and scientific names. The species has been granted over 20 scientific names and has been the source of great confusion, even among trained botanists. You can verify this easily by looking up Philodendron hederaceum on botanical sites such as TROPICOS. you'll find that name is the basionym and all the others, such as Philodendron scandens (and many other names) are the synonyms which simply means "same plant, other name. If you're interested in learning more about P. hederaceum and the related species try this link at our website: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Philodendron hederaceum pc.html
