Houseplant · Araceae
Pink Princess Philodendron
Philodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess'
Give it bright indirect light and steady moisture, and the Pink Princess keeps its candy-pink leaves all year.
Bright indirect
65–85°F · 18–29°C
USDA 10–12
2–60 ft · 0.6–18.3 m
Overview
So what's the Pink Princess all about? It's a climbing philodendron from the arum family, and people grow it for the bubblegum-pink splashes running through its dark green, heart-shaped leaves. No two leaves come out the same, and honestly that's the fun of it, though it's also what makes the plant a bit of a project.
Here's the catch: the pink is a chimeral variegation, which just means it lives in only part of the plant's tissue and isn't promised to the next leaf. A stem can slip back to plain green and, if you don't step in, outgrow the pink completely. Learn to read the new growth and snip in the right spot, and you'll hold onto that color just fine.
Indoors it stays pretty easygoing, usually around 3 feet (90 cm) on a moss pole or trellis, even though the species climbs way higher out in the wild. Give it warmth, bright indirect light, and a mix that drains well, and it'll grow at a steady, forgiving clip.
Care
The short version: bright indirect light, a warm room between 65°F and 85°F (18°C to 29°C), and a moist but free-draining mix, and just prune any reverted green stems back so the pink sticks around.
Light
Set it somewhere with bright indirect light near a window, but out of the hot, direct beam, which'll scorch the leaves. Good light is also what keeps the pink going, so if the spot's too dim, you'll end up with weak, mostly green growth.
Water
Keep the mix evenly moist but never soggy, and let the extra water drain right out each time. Waterlogged soil is the quickest way to root rot, so when you're not sure, lean toward good drainage over watering a lot.
Soil
Plant it in a rich, well-draining mix built on organic stuff like loam or silt. An acidic to neutral pH suits it, and honestly the drainage matters more than the exact recipe, since standing water is what rots the roots.
Temperature
It's happiest in a warm room between 65°F and 85°F (18°C to 29°C). Keep it clear of cold drafts and chilly windowsills in winter, because it really can't handle the cold.
Humidity
This plant loves high humidity and pays you back with fuller, healthier leaves. It'll get by in average room air just fine, but a humidifier or a pebble tray nearby helps it look its best.
Feeding
Feed it monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength. Ease off in the darker months when growth slows down, since it's not really taking much up then anyway.
Pruning
Prune to shape the plant and, more to the point, to protect the pink. When a stem reverts to all green, cut it back to a node that still has pink, or that pushy green growth is going to take over.
Repotting
Repot in spring once it's root-bound, which you'll notice when roots fill the pot or start poking out the drainage holes. Bump it up just one pot size so the fresh mix doesn't sit wet around the roots.
Size & spacing
24–720 in (61–1829 cm) tall
Troubleshooting
Most Pink Princess trouble shows up in the leaves and roots, and nine times out of ten it comes down to watering or light. Catch it early and the fix is easy. Find whatever matches what you're seeing below, then sort it out before it spreads.
Leaves going yellow and limp while the soil never dries
Soil that stays wet while the plant wilts anyway? That's root rot, and it usually comes down to too much water or a mix that doesn't drain. Healthy roots feel firm and pale, so if they've gone soft and brown, they're the problem. Repot into fresh, fast-draining mix, snip off the mushy roots, and go easier on the watering while it bounces back.
Fix:
- Reduce watering frequency
- Repot into a fresh, well-draining, organic-rich mix
- Trim away rotted roots
Brand-new leaves showing up green with zero pink
A new leaf came in plain green and now you're wondering what happened? The pink is a chimeral variegation, and the plant doesn't always hold onto it, so a green stem can quietly take over. Too little light nudges it that way too. Cut the reverted stem back to a node that still shows pink, then park the plant in bright indirect light so the good growth can catch back up.
Fix:
- Prune the reverted stem back to a node that still bears pink variegation
- Provide bright indirect light
Brownish spots slowly taking over the foliage
Seeing neat little spots, maybe with a yellow ring around them? That's usually a fungal or bacterial leaf spot, and it turns up when the air's still and the leaves stay damp. So pull off the marked leaves and give the plant a bit more elbow room so air can move through. And when you water, try to keep it off the leaves.
Fix:
- Remove affected leaves
- Improve air circulation
- Avoid wetting the foliage
Little webs, sticky patches, or fuzzy white bits on the plant
Webbing, a sticky film, or little cottony specks? Those are sap-feeding pests at work, like spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, scale, and thrips. Webbing usually means mites, the cottony bits are mealybugs, and anything sticky means something's feeding. Wipe or rinse them off, treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, and keep the plant away from the others until it's clean.
Fix:
- Wipe off or rinse away pests
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Isolate the affected plant
Washed-out, burnt-looking marks on the leaves
Pale, crispy patches showing up on the side that faces the window? That's just sun scorch from direct sun. This plant's after bright light, sure, but filtered, not a hot beam blasting straight through the glass. Nudge it back from the window or hang a sheer curtain, and you're back to the bright indirect light it likes.
Fix:
- Move to bright indirect light, out of direct sun
Toxicity
Heads up, this one's a toxic houseplant, so keep it well out of reach of pets and kids. Every part carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that sting and burn the mouth the second they're chewed, and the sap can bug bare skin too. Bottom line, nothing on this plant is meant to be eaten.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Moderate
If a cat chews a leaf, it lets loose sharp calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth right away. You'll probably see drooling, pawing at the face, and vomiting, and your cat might not want to swallow because its mouth and tongue are sore and swollen.
Dogs Moderate
A dog that chomps the leaves ends up with a mouthful of those stinging crystals. Keep an eye out for lots of drooling, retching or vomiting, puffy lips and tongue, and trouble swallowing pretty soon after.
Horses Moderate
Those same crystals inflame a horse's mouth and throat, so you'll see drooling, sore swelling, and a hard time swallowing. Horses can't vomit, remember, so the burning just stays put in the mouth and gut.
Rabbits Caution
The oxalate crystals sting a rabbit's mouth the same way they do everyone else's, so it's best kept out of reach. Even one nibbled leaf can leave a rabbit sore-mouthed and skipping its food.
Livestock Caution
Grazing animals that mouth the leaves get the same burning and drooling. It's not exactly a pasture plant, but a nosy goat or sheep that gets to it can wind up with a sore, swollen mouth.
Birds Caution
A bird that bites the leaves runs into the same irritant crystals, with swelling and soreness in the mouth. So keep pet birds away from the leaves and stems.
People Caution
None of this plant is meant for eating. Chew a leaf and it burns the mouth and lips, and the sap can leave skin red and itchy, so pop on gloves when you prune and keep it away from little kids.
Sap can cause contact dermatitis - wash hands or wear gloves when pruning
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
How to propagate
Want more Pink Princess plants? You can grow them from the one you've got, as long as you start from growth that already carries pink. Both methods below are easy enough, just begin from a variegated node.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Spring to summer, during active growth · Several weeks to root
Take your cuttings in spring or summer while the plant's actively growing, and make sure each one has at least one node with pink variegation on it. Why? Because a cutting from an all-green section only grows green, since the variegation is chimeral. Pop it into a moist medium and give it several weeks to root.
LayeringModerate
Spring to summer, during active growth · Several weeks to root before separating
Layering's the safer, lower-stress option, and you do it in spring or summer during active growth. You let a stem root while it's still attached to the parent, wait out the several weeks it takes to root, and then cut it loose as its own plant.
Myths
Once a plant shows pink, it'll keep making pink leaves forever.
Nice idea, but the pink comes from a chimeral variegation that isn't fixed, so the plant can go back to all green whenever it feels like it. Leave a strong green stem alone and it'll outgrow the pink parts. Prune reverted growth back to a pink node to keep the color coming.
That all-green stem just needs a while, and the pink will show up again.
It won't, sadly. Once a stem goes all green it stays that way, because the green tissue is stable and doesn't get its variegation back. Cut it back to a node that still shows pink and let the variegated growth start again from there.