How to Grow Pink Princess Philodendron (2024)

Pink Princess Philodendron Care

Native to Columbia, the pink princess philodendron is a tropical aroid in the Araceae family. Despite its high price tag, this colorful plant is actually pretty easy to care for. That being said there are a few key things to keep in mind to ensure that you are maximizing the variegation on the leaves.

Light

Providing your pink princess philodendron with enough light is the most important factor influencing the amount of variegation it will have. Choose a location that receives several hours of bright, indirect light.

When grown indoors, the pink princess philodendron can also tolerate a couple hours of direct light, which may help to increase its variegation. If you do not have a location in your home that receives enough light, buying a grow light for this plant is recommended. Without enough light the pink princesses leaves will quickly begin reverting back to green and it will lose its stunning variegation.

Soil

As an aroid, the pink princess philodendron enjoys airy, well-draining soil that is high in organic matter. A mixture of one part standard potting soil, one part perlite, and one part orchid bark is ideal for the pink princess.

Water

Allow the top half of the soil to dry out between waterings and then water well. Usually, this means you will need to water your plant approximately once a week in the spring and summer, and once every 1 to 2 weeks in the fall and winter.

Ensure that your pink princess is never sitting in waterlogged soil as they are susceptible to root rot. As a general rule, it is far easier to overwater your pink princess philodendron than to underwater it so if you are unsure about whether it needs water, err on the side of caution and wait another day.

Temperature and Humidity

The pink princess philodendron does best in warm, humid conditions - although typical household temperature and humidity levels are fine for these hardy plants. Ideally, keep your plant in temperatures between 65 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 26 degrees Celsius) and avoid exposing it to temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius).

Fertilizer

During its growing season (spring and summer) the pink princess philodendron benefits from regular monthly feedings with a balanced liquid fertilizer. Stop fertilizing your plant in the early fall as it enters its dormant period.

Repotting Pink Princess Philodendron

This Philodendron should be repotted once it has outgrown its previous potting container - approximately once every 1 to 2 years. Roots growing from the pot's drainage holes or circling the inside of the pot are both signs that your plant is ready to be repotted.

While you can technically repot a pink princess philodendron at any time of year, spring and summer are the optimal times to do so since the plant is actively growing. In addition, you should wait until your plant is ready to be watered to repot it since you will need to water it thoroughly to hold it in place in its new pot. Here's how to repot your pink princess philodendron in a few easy steps.

How to Repot a Pink Princess Philodendron

1. Choose a pot that is 2 to 4 inches larger than your plant's previous potting container. The pot should have drainage holes (plastic nursery pots or terracotta pots are great options).
2. Ensure that you have plenty of fresh well-draining potting soil for your plant.
3. Gently remove your pink princess from its old pot.
4. Loosen the root ball to remove as much of the old soil as you can.
5. Place your plant in the new pot and hold it in position with one hand while you fill the pot with fresh soil with the other.
6. Water the newly repotted plant thoroughly, allowing the excess water to drain from the pot's drainage holes.
7. Return the plant to its original location and resume a regular watering schedule.
   

Propagating Pink Princess Philodendron

As with most philodendrons, the pink princess can be easily propagated by stem cuttings. Not only will this help you create a new plant to share with a friend, but propagation also leads to a bushier plant and can help encourage variegation (especially if the leaves on your plant have started to revert). Here’s how you can propagate your pink princess philodendron by stem cuttings in just a few easy steps:

1. First, choose where you will cut the stem of your plant. You will want your cutting to have 2 to 3 leaves and 2 to 3 expose nodes at the bottom of the cutting.
2. Using a pair of sharp, sterilized pruning shears or scissors cut the stem and separate your cutting.
3. Remove the bottom leaves from your cutting, leaving just 2 to 3 leaves at the top.
4. Set the cutting aside for 12 to 24 hours to allow the cut edge to callous over.
5. Once the edge has calloused, place the cutting in water and put it in a location that receives bright, indirect light. Ensure that the exposed nodes of the cutting are submerged in the water at all times.
6. Within 2-3 weeks you should begin to notice new roots sprouting from the cutting.
7. Once the roots have grown to at least 1 inch in length the cutting can be transferred back to soil. Use a well-draining potting mix and water thoroughly.

Common Pests & Plant Diseases

The pink princess philodendron is susceptible to a number of common houseplant pests and diseases. Common pests include mealybugs, aphids, spider mites, scale, and fungus gnats. Common diseases include root rot, which is a result of overwatering, and rust spot, which is a result of a fungal infection.

Common Problems With Pink Princess Philodendron

With the proper care, pink princess philodendrons are relatively problem-free. Common issues with these tropical plants usually arise from improper watering, humidity, or light.

Leaves Are Not Pink and Losing Variegation

This is most likely due to a lack of light. Ensure that your plant is exposed to bright, indirect light and avoid low light conditions to promote strong variegation. It is important to catch and fix this problem early since a fully reverted pink princess philodendron cannot recover its variegation.

My Plant is Getting Leggy

Leggy growth is an indication that your plant is not receiving enough light, causing the leaves to reach for more light. Move your plant to a brighter location to prevent new growth from coming in leggy.

Leaves Are Turning Brown

Browning edges on the leaves of a pink princess philodendron are usually a result of a lack of humidity which causes the leaves to begin drying out. Unfortunately there is no way to reverse the damage once it has happened, but if you increase the humidity around the plant it should prevent further browning.

Leaf Variegation is Turning Brown

The last thing you want to see on your beautiful pink variegation is brown spots, but unfortunately this can happen if you have exposed your plant to light that is too harsh. The delicate pink spots on the leaves are prone to burning under harsh lighting conditions, resulting in large burn spots. Sometimes this can also be a result of a lack of humidity, as mentioned above.

Buying a Pink Princess Philodendron

Looking to acquire one of these stunning Philodendron? Here's what you need to know about buying a pink princess philodendron.

Why Are Pink Princess Philodendrons So Expensive?

These tropical plants have exploded in popularity due to their stunning foliage, making it difficult for growers to keep up with demand. The cost is especially high since these plants are not easily grown from seed due to their variegation being a result of mutation. This has resulted in sky-high prices, despite the fact that pink princesses are actually relatively easy to care for.

That being said, the cost of pink princess philodendrons has recently started to drop since they are now being mass-produced.

How Much Do They Cost?

At their peak in 2021, a fully established and mature pink princess philodendron could cost upwards of $2,000 (yes, you read that right). Meanwhile, single-leaf cuttings of this coveted plant were going for hundreds of dollars on sites like Etsy and Facebook Marketplace.

Today, this plant is far more accessible and affordable. While it may still cost a few hundred dollars for a well-established and highly variegated mature pink princess philodendron, you can easily score a smaller plant for under $100, while cuttings are going for as little as $5 to $10 a pop.

What to Look for When Buying a Pink Princess Philodendron

To ensure that you get a healthy and highly variegated specimen, it's important to examine the plant's foliage and stems before you buy. Look for consistent variegation, and check the plant's petioles for variegation too.

Since these Philodendrons are prone to fungal rust spot diseases, you should also check the leaves for small brown spots to ensure you aren't getting an infected plant.

Where to Buy a Pink Princess Philodendron

Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, and plant collectors used to be the only places where you could find a pink princess philodendron, but today they can be found at many different houseplant shops, nurseries, and more.

Stores like Home Depot regularly carry these plants (depending on where you are), while Costa Farms now offers the pink princess philodendron online. They can also still be found on Etsy and Facebook Marketplace at much more affordable price points than they used to be.