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woebegonia

Philodendron Lovers - is this P. 'Pincushion'?

Woebegonia
11 years ago

I've been growing this for many years, picture is of a small reserve cutting. Never knew the name, from an old article in a defunct plant magazine (Plants Alive) there was a color photo of a hybrid small philodendron and I thihk this may be it.{{gwi:68520}}

Comments (15)

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    On your larger older plant, do the leaves ever get any bigger?

  • Woebegonia
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Very little, I meant to put a ruler with the plant when I took the picture but forgot. Right now the longest leaf is about 2-l/2", they never get much longer, the growth is always horizontal, slow growing. The plant was in an 8" pot but looked too overgrown, so I took a cutting and sent the rest to the big compost heap in the sky.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    Interesting! This makes me curious how long it takes some Philos to get some significant size to the leaves and stems, if they have the potential to do so.

    Your plant is so similar to one I have, at least the smallest cutting of it. Had I not broken the stem apart myself, I would never believe these are pieces of the same plant. When I got the mama, it had a very long leafless stem, which I broke into pieces. This is the result of the smallest piece of leafless stem I planted, about 9-10 months ago, the biggest leaf is about 3" long.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    This is the mama, the growth tip of the same big stem. The leaves are way bigger, and a totally different shape. (Try to ignore the sunburned leaf in the middle...)

    At the rate these things are growing, it could be 10 years until the little one looks like this.

    Do you think any of this relates to your plant?

  • Woebegonia
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    The leaves on my plant keep that skinny shape, in the picture they are just about the same as its adult growth; in some ways it seems more like a 'mini'. It was very slow-growing, I think it took 6 or 7 years to spread out and fill shallow pots until I decided 8" was big enough. I grew it at a North window with some morning light from the East. It is the only 'philodendron' if that is what it is, that I have ever had.

  • dellis326 (Danny)
    11 years ago

    Do you have a picture of the larger plant? Most Philodendrons leaves' change form (size & shape) as the plant gets larger.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    Yes, that's what I've been trying to say. Many vine plants can grow indefinitely in a pot without ever making non-juvenile leaves.

    Woe, are you saying your plant only grew 8 inches in over 6 years?

  • Woebegonia
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes, I think so. It is the oldest plant I have, going back to the early '80's. I remember potting it on from time to time but I don't recall tossing the main plant and restarting from a cutting. I suppose I may have done so, that is why the figure 6 years seems more logical than saying I have never re-potted. . . I wouldn't believe that myself if someone said that.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    Well I certainly know what you mean about not being able to remember for sure.

    Nobody can say for sure, but I don't think your plant was anywhere mature, in regard to leaf form, from what you describe. Epiphytic tropical vines don't necessarily need age to mature, they need conducive conditions, not always possible in a pot or inside a building.

    This plant is coming from the section of the broken/propagated stem mentioned above, broken directly below the growth tip (there were a total of 4 when I was finished.) It's sending out new growths from a bunch of different places. You can really see the difference in shape in just the leaves in this pic. Although some are much larger than the others, these leaves are all way smaller than the leaves on the mama (the tip.) A couple of the leaves got sunburned, this plant burns easily. The leaves on the mama are probably not the mature leaf form of this plant either. Impossible to know unless it does do something different.

    Tropic's pics of good ol' Pothos at the Aroid forum blew me away! Hope those help make vines even more but at the same time, less mysterious.

  • VaeVictus
    11 years ago

    I read that the "Pincushion" philodendron is a mutation that occurred during tissue culturing (which species or cultivar was not mentioned but it reminds me a bit of a tinier and red stemmed "Nurse Noodles". I think though that "Pincushion" is a slow growing clumping miniature even in perfect conditions as it is frequently used in terrariums and paludariums by enthusiasts fully capable of providing the proper levels of heat, moisture, air flow and light.

    I also read that it tends to be fairly picky about wanting high humidity. Woebegonia, how do you grow yours? Just as a houseplant in a pot with or without pebble tray or misting, or do you keep it under a cloche or in a Wardian case? If you are growing it without any special care I think I will start keeping a lookout for a seller because I really like the shape of the leaves but I always thought it needed a terrarium.

  • Woebegonia
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    In ordinary soil in an ordinary pot, it has always grown in that North location, ordinary humidity, and about four feet from a heater during the winter. I take it for granted I guess, it just seems to me to have been 'always' there, I simply can't recall the early life.I looked again at that article from Plants Alive (Jauary,1978). The hybridizer's name was Robert McColley, didn't mention mutations, but patented varieties with names like 'Painted Lady','Majesty', 'Pincushion', 'Prince Dubonnet', some color photos shown. I am still not sure in my own mind that my plant matches 'Pincushion',a mutation sounds as good a guess as any.'Painted Lady' described as yellow-orange with red petioles. If that one were still in cultivation I think it would be an eye catcher.

  • Woebegonia
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Oops, that article I mentioned is April, 2977.

  • Woebegonia
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Is your plant 'Pincushion'? If so, your leaves are a little more broad than my little plant, and it does not grow larger leaves when grown in a terrarium. These plants are so interesting. I have philodendron 'Pink Princess' which is dark red with pink variegation and I really struggle with it. I would enclose a picture but it is pretty ratty looking now. And I have nothing but problems sending pictures since Houzz took over, apparently it doesn't recognize posting from I.E. The instructions from the 'Help' section don't work.

  • jamilalshaw26
    7 years ago

    I'm actually not sure what my plant is. I thought it was P.erubescens but it looks so much like yours. Mines has big leaves though so idk.

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