How To Care For Plants

How to care for a Philodendron micans

Philodendron hederaceum var. hederaceum (micans)

Care facts verified

Micans is the velvet-leaved form of the heartleaf philodendron, its small hearts catching the light with a soft matte sheen and flushing bronze-to-purple as they unfurl. It trails happily in medium indirect light, wants its mix kept lightly moist rather than bone dry, and colours up best with warmth and humidity. Sitting in waterlogged compost is what kills it. Like every philodendron, it is toxic to cats and dogs.

Care at a glance

Light
Medium, indirect lightBright enough to deepen the bronze tones but out of direct sun, which flattens the velvet and bleaches the leaves; it copes with a shadier corner than most trailers.
Water
Keep lightly moist; water when the surface driesLet only the top centimetre or so dry, then water — micans likes a touch more moisture than a glossy heartleaf, but never a swamp.
Soil
Peat-free aroid mix that holds some moistureCoco coir or compost with bark and perlite keeps it evenly damp without going stagnant.
Humidity
Likes 50%+ for the best velvetIt survives dry rooms but the leaves are larger and more lustrous with a pebble tray or humidifier.
Temperature
18–27 °C (64–81 °F)Keep above 13 °C (55 °F); cold, dry air dulls the foliage and slows it to a stop.
Difficulty
EasyAs tough as any heartleaf, just slightly thirstier and happier with a little extra humidity.
Pets
Toxic to petsToxic to cats and dogs — being a Philodendron hederaceum, it holds insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that cause oral burning, drooling and vomiting if eaten (ASPCA).

Where it comes from

Native rangeThe velvet form of Philodendron hederaceum, native from Central America and the Caribbean through tropical South America

Propagation

Micans roots from stem cuttings as readily as any heartleaf philodendron. Take a trailing length bearing two or three nodes, pinch off the bottom leaf so a bare node is exposed, and stand it in water or press it into moist sphagnum. Within a week or two the velvety new leaves emerge true to type, retaining the same bronze-purple flush from any healthy node.

Since the cuttings strike so fast, the tidiest way to keep a plant looking full is to shorten the longest trails and tuck those rooted lengths back among the existing stems. You can also leave a node lying against the compost while it is still joined to the parent; once it has anchored its own roots there, snip the connecting stem and lift it as a separate plant.

Common problems

  • Leaves losing their velvet and looking dull or flat

    Likely cause: Too much direct sun, or air so dry the leaf surface dehydrates and loses its soft texture.

    Fix: Move it out of direct rays into bright-but-filtered light and raise humidity; the next leaves come in with their proper sheen.

  • Pale, washed-out new growth instead of the usual bronze

    Likely cause: Either too little light to develop the pigment, or tired compost short on nutrients.

    Fix: Brighten the spot and feed lightly through the growing season; the rich bronze flush returns on the fresh leaves.

  • Yellowing leaves with a limp, wet-feeling stem

    Likely cause: Overwatering — even though micans likes moisture, a constantly soggy pot suffocates and rots the roots.

    Fix: Let the surface dry before each water, make sure the pot drains, and cut away any soft, blackened roots.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my Philodendron micans leaves not velvety anymore?

The matte velvet is a delicate surface, so harsh direct sun or very dry air flattens and dulls it. Shift the plant into bright filtered light and raise the humidity, and the new leaves should unfurl with their proper soft sheen.

What is the difference between Philodendron micans and a heartleaf philodendron?

They are the same species, Philodendron hederaceum. The ordinary heartleaf has glossy green leaves, while micans is the velvet-leaved form with a matte texture and a bronze-to-purple flush on new growth. Their care needs are essentially the same.

Why are my new micans leaves bronze or reddish?

That colour is normal and prized — micans leaves often emerge a coppery bronze or purplish tone before settling to a deeper green, and good light makes the flush more pronounced. There is nothing to fix.

Does Philodendron micans climb or trail?

It does both. Most people grow it as a trailer from a shelf or hanging pot, but given a moss pole its aerial roots will climb, and the leaves grow larger the higher it ascends.

Sources

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