Temperature
60–85°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Tree philodendron
Philodendron bipinnatifidum
Tree philodendron wants bright indirect light and water every 7 to 12 days, once the top two inches are dry. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
An east window, or four feet back from a south one. It spreads sideways more than up, so give it floor space rather than height.
Water
Every 7–12 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top two inches are dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
45% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 2 of 5: Scores 2 of 5: forgiving of light and water, and it gets enormous. The usual failure is buying one for a shelf and discovering it wants a four-foot radius.
Habit
Spreading
Grows to 36–96 inches. No support needed.
Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans — poison severity low
Contains insoluble calcium oxalates. Reported signs include oral irritation, intense burning of mouth and tongue, excessive drooling.
If a pet has chewed a leaf, rinse the mouth with water and call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Full detail for cats → Full detail for dogs →
What each authority says 2 sources concur
- ASPCA — entry for a different species in this genus: Philodendron selloum
- Toxic to cats and dogs · insoluble calcium oxalates
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Low · Calcium oxalate crystals · If ingested, oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue, and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting (not horses), and difficulty swallowing. The sap can cause skin irritation.
Light
Bright indirect light. An east window, or four feet back from a south one. It spreads sideways more than up, so give it floor space rather than height.
Water
Every 7 to 12 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top two inches are dry.
Treat the interval as a starting point and the test as the actual instruction. Pot size, light level and season all move the number.
| Method | soak and dry |
|---|---|
| Test before watering | the top two inches are dry |
Soil and potting
Two parts potting soil, one part perlite, one part orchid bark.
Repot roughly every 2 years, or when roots come through the drainage holes and water runs straight through without absorbing.
Common problems
Ranked by how often each turns out to be the cause for this species. Each links to a diagnosis page with the causes ranked for this species.
- Yellow leaves this week
- Brown crispy edges monitor
- Root rot act today
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-12.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
- Spider mites act today
- Mealybugs this week
- Scale insects this week
Propagation
Stem cutting in water or soil. Roots in 21 to 42 days.
A cutting without a node will not root. It may stay green in water for months and never produce a single root, because it has no growth point.
| Preferred method | stem cutting |
|---|---|
| Medium | water, soil |
| Time to root | 21–42 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Philodendron selloum Checked 2026-09-12.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Philodendron bipinnatifidum Checked 2026-09-12.
- Wikidata entity Q4353577 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Philodendron bipinnatifidum Accepted name; family Araceae. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Philodendron bipinnatifidum Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-12.
- Photograph: VSA.bing, Wikimedia Commons , Public domain.
Compiled and edited by Tony Valcarcel · 2026-09-02
Tony Valcarcel is the editor and publisher of this database, not a horticulturist
or a veterinarian. Every fact above is drawn from the sources listed, and
toxicity severity is reported only where one of them stated it.
How this is sourced.
Last updated 2026-09-02