Home Gardening House Plants 24 Stunning Philodendron Varieties You Need to Know About It's time to step up your indoor garden. By Debbie Wolfe Debbie Wolfe Debbie Wolfe is an author and freelance writer who specializes in home and garden, food and cooking, parenting, and travel topics. She is also an accomplished photographer and is currently the senior visual editor for Dotdash Meredith. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines and Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand Lisa Milbrand has more than 20 years of experience as a lifestyle writer and editor, writing thousands of articles on topics that help people live better and healthier lives for Real Simple, Parents, and dozens of other top publications. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 21, 2024 Fact checked by Emily Peterson Fact checked by Emily Peterson Emily Peterson is an experienced fact-checker and editor with Bachelor's degrees in English Literature and French. Our Fact-Checking Process There are more than 450 philodendron varieties in the world. These wildly popular tropical plants are categorized by their growing habit: climbing or upright. They are available in myriad colors, sizes, and textures. Best of all, they are extremely easy to grow, making them a popular houseplant choice for new and seasoned gardeners alike. If you are ready to dive into the world of philodendrons, check out these stunning varieties that will make an excellent addition to your indoor garden. Getty Images Follow These 4 Very Simple Steps to Keep Your Houseplants Alive Philodendron Care Tips In general, philodendrons prefer partial sun exposure. To get the best color on variegated leaves, make sure the plant receives bright, indirect light. A tropical plant, philodendrons prefer a warm, humid environment, which you can imitate by setting the houseplant in a warm spot and providing moisture with a humidifier or plant mister. Loamy, well-drained soil is best. Provide a moderate amount of water, and watch the leaves—drooping leaves could mean you're over- or under-watering. For more specific philodendron care tips, check out the varieties below. If you have pets, philodendron plants can be toxic to them. Be sure to place them out of reach, or consider other pet-friendly plants instead. 01 of 24 Philodendron Rojo Congo The Sill This dramatic philodendron features bright red stems and large, tropical leaves, which start out in a red but progress to green as they mature. The philodendron Rojo Congo thrives in bright, indirect light, It thrives on a bit of neglect, as you shouldn't overwater this plant—water only when the top half of the soil is dry. 02 of 24 Philodendron McColley's Finale The Sill Philodendron McColley's Finale features bronze red leaves that gradually turn bright green. This is a philodendron that can tolerate low light conditions, and only needs watering every one to two weeks. 03 of 24 Philodendron Tortum Costa Farms The pholodendrom tortum—AKA the fernleaf philodendron—has lacy, fernlike leaves that start out coppery before they turn bright green. It's easy to grow, as it needs indirect, low sunlight, and does fine with some neglect. 04 of 24 Black Cardinal Philodendron Pannarai Nak-im/Getty Images If you're all in on dark drama in your plant collection, this gothic philodendron is the one for you. The plant foliage features shades of maroon and dark, purply black. You'll want to keep it in bright, indirect light with regular watering. 05 of 24 Golden Violin Philodendron Costa Farms The lemon-lime shades of the leaves grow nearly a foot and a half long and are shaped a bit like violins. It's a climbing plant that can grow to more than five feet tall, and like many philodendron plants, it requires indirect light and a week or two of water. 06 of 24 Philodendron White Wizard The Sill This rare philodendron has dramatic white spots and stripes against the dark green foliage. The philodendron can handle medium to bright indirect light, and requires only weekly or biweekly watering. 07 of 24 Ring of Fire Philodendron The Sill If you're looking for plants to add a little color to your house, the ring of fire philodendron may be just what you want. Its leaves feature a range of colors—cream, green, orange, and red. You may want to trellis this plant, as it's a climber! Keep it in medium to bright indirect light. 08 of 24 Philodendron Verrucosum Nora Carol Photography/Getty Images This bold plant features big, heart-shaped shiny leaves with dramatic light green veining. As a tropical plant, philodendron verrucosum loves a lot of humidity and a warm environment. 09 of 24 Philodendron Gloriosum Mokjc/Getty Images This bold variation of the philodendron thrives on. bright, indirect light and a drier environment. Keep in mind that it's a slow growth plant, so don't expect that it'll grow like crazy for you. 10 of 24 Philodendron Billietiae Issarawat Tattong/Getty Images You may have to look hard to find this dramatic tropical plant, but it's worth it for its gorgeous long jade green leaves. Like other philodendrons, the philodendron billietiae thrives in partial sun and well-drained soil. 11 of 24 Paraiso Verde Philodendron krisanapong detraphiphat/Getty Images This is one of our favorite rare plants to add to your plant collection. It can grow up to 10 feet tall, so make room for it. It thrives in moist soil, and indirect light. 12 of 24 Silver Sword Philodendron Cn0ra/Getty Images The silver sword is a climbing style of philodendron—and it gets its name from its sword-shaped, silvery leaves. Grab a trellis for this climber, which is easy to care for. 13 of 24 Heartleaf Philodendron Bloomscape This classic trailing philodendron is one of the easiest plants to grow. It's adaptable to a variety of light conditions and forgiving if you neglect it. Heartleaf philodendron features fast-growing, heart-shaped leaves that emerge bronze, then quickly turn into a glossy green. The leaves can range from 2 to 3 inches wide and can grow to over 8 inches wide if allowed to climb. It makes a beautiful hanging plant with vines that reach 4 or 5 feet indoors. 14 of 24 Philodendron Hope Selloum Plantvine.com Popular for its eye-catching, sculptural leaves, philodendron hope selloum have seen showing up on Instagram feeds and in designer homes. To help it thrive, place this houseplant in a spot that gets bright, indirect light, and keep the soil moist but avoid overwatering. Rotate the pot every few days if the plant starts to slant toward the sun. 15 of 24 Imperial Green and Imperial Red Etsy The philodendron imperial green is an upright variety prized for its smooth, glossy green leaves. In the imperial red variety, the young leaves are a bright red, maturing to burgundy red-purple and ultimately dark glossy green when mature. Both types feature large leaves that fan out in all directions, making them attractive foliage plants in any space. Both imperial varieties prefer moderate to bright, indirect sunlight but can tolerate shadier surroundings. 16 of 24 Philodendron Prince of Orange The Sill Like the imperials, Prince of Orange is an upright variety with colorful leaves that emerge a bright orange and turn a light green as they mature. This exotic-looking plant produces a tight cluster of leaves around a central stem, and the leafstalk and new leaf spears are a colorful, deep red. Prince of Orange likes moderate to bright, indirect sunlight but can tolerate shady conditions. 17 of 24 Philodendron Erubescens (aka Pink Princess Philodendron) Etsy Known for variegated leaves in a magnificent shade of pink, it's easy to see how the "pink princess philodendron" got its name. For the most vibrant color, make sure this tropical houseplant receives enough indirect sunlight. It thrives in high humidity, so consider a humidifier or mist the plant regularly. 18 of 24 Philodendron Brasil Bloomscape This fun trailing variety features heart-shaped leaves in different shades of green and yellow. The trailing plant gets its name due to its close resemblance to the Brazilian flag. Brasil shows its variegation best in medium to bright indirect light. Although it can survive in lower light conditions, it will lose its variegation if it doesn't get enough. 19 of 24 Philodendron Micans Rooted Micans is a heart-shaped trailing variety that features velvety, textured leaves, earning this plant the nickname "velvet leaf philodendron." Its foliage can look deep green or rich purple, depending on the light, and its new leaves emerge in bright chartreuse, edged with pink. Micans looks elegant cascading in a hanging planter and is equally lovely when trained on a trellis. It likes medium to bright indirect light. If you are a fan of exciting foliage on a plant, Micans makes a perfect addition to your collection. 20 of 24 Burle Marx Philodendron Lowe's Named after the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, this stunning upright philodendron looks good in your outdoor landscape or indoors. The plant produces copious paddle-shaped, shiny green leaves with deep lobes and delicate pale veining. It makes a lovely statement piece when in a pot and is a fast-growing cover plant in the landscape (only in warmer climates). Burle Marx thrives in bright but indirect light but can live in low light too. 21 of 24 Xanadu Philodendron Bloomscape Xanadu features broad, shiny leaves with multiple lobes perched on long, sturdy stems. The plant has an upright growing habit but is wider than it is long, making it a perfect fit for wide-open spaces in your home or on your porch. Xanadu adapts to various conditions, is easy to grow, and is inexpensive for its size. 22 of 24 Philodendron Brandtianum Etsy If you are a fan of variegation, brandtianum will not disappoint. This lovely vining plant features heart-shaped, deep green leaves with beautiful silver striations. Emerging leaves feature a yellow-orange hue that morphs into dark green and silver shades when mature. Although brandtianum is a vining variety, it has a full and upright habit. This philodendron does well in medium light but will show off its variegation in a location with bright, indirect light. 23 of 24 Philodendron Birkin The Sill Birkins are an upright variety developed as a cross between philodendron Congo and philodendron imperial green. Its foliage features white and bright yellow striped variegation that pops against its colorful green leaves with proper light. In addition, each leaf features a unique variegation pattern, making this plant a gorgeous show-stopper in any room. Birkins thrive best in bright indirect light. 24 of 24 Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma Rooted Often referred to as mini monstera deliciosa, rhaphidophora tetrasperma features similar fenestrated leaves and a vining growth habit. However, unlike monstera, the leaves will stay small and will not take over your space as quickly as its look-a-like. Rhaphidophora tetrasperma thrives in bright, indirect light and consistent moisture. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! 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