Philodendron pedatum

Simple, entire juvenile leaves on Philodendron pedatum give little hint of what's coming: as the plant climbs into better light, mature foliage transitions into deeply lobed, pedate leaves with five to seven narrow lobes, a shape shift strong enough to make young and mature growth look almost unrelated. Native to rainforest across northern South America, it ascends tree trunks using aerial roots in warm, humid conditions. That narrow-lobed mature leaf shape is a recognisable identifying feature among vining aroids, and the reason collectors grow it on rather than leaving it small.

Native range

northern South America, especially French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana and Brazil

Classification

Genus

Philodendron

Family

Araceae

Type

Wild

Growth habit

Climbing epiphyte

Morphology

Leaf shape

Pedate with 5-7 narrow lobes

Leaf length

30-60cm

Leaf width

20-40cm

Petiole colour

Green

Venation

PinnateVeins or lobes arranged like a feather, branching out symmetrically on both sides of a single main central vein.

Texture

Coriaceous

Variegation

None

Growth habit

Climbing