Temperature
65–80°F
Keep away from winter window glass and heating vents.
Heartleaf philodendron
Philodendron hederaceum
Heartleaf philodendron wants bright indirect light and water every 7 to 12 days, once the top inch is dry. Toxic to cats, dogs, and humans.
Light
Bright indirect
LowMediumBright indirectDirect
An east window, or four feet back from a south one. In low light the gaps between leaves stretch and the vine goes bare.
Water
Every 7–12 days
Baseline for a 6-inch pot indoors. Check first: water when the top inch is dry, not on a schedule.
Humidity
40% and up
Wants 60%. Struggles in dry winter air.
Difficulty
Easy
Scores 1 of 5: Scores 1 of 5: roots from almost any cutting, recovers from neglect, and tolerates a dim corner. Nothing about it is fussy.
Habit
Trailing
Grows to 6–120 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
- Toxic to cats and dogs · insoluble calcium oxalates
- NC State Extension
- Poison severity: Low · Calcium oxalate crystals · Oral irritation, pain and swelling of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing
Light
Bright indirect light. An east window, or four feet back from a south one. In low light the gaps between leaves stretch and the vine goes bare.
Water
Every 7 to 12 days in a 6-inch pot, when the top inch is 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 inch is 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
- Leggy growth monitor
- Root rot act today
Pest and disease guidance for this species consulted at the Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, checked 2026-09-11.
Pests
Recorded for this species. Each links to identification and treatment.
Propagation
Stem cutting in water or soil. Roots in 10 to 21 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 | 10–21 days |
| Node required | Yes |
| Best season | Spring and summer |
Sources
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control — Philodendron hederaceum Checked 2026-09-11.
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Philodendron hederaceum Checked 2026-09-11.
- Wikidata entity Q4484257 — taxonomy and entity identity.
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Plants of the World Online — Philodendron hederaceum Accepted name; family Araceae. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Philodendron hederaceum Pest and disease guidance. Checked 2026-09-11.
- Photograph: KENPEI, Wikimedia Commons , CC BY-SA 3.0.
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