Philodendron rugosum
Pigskin Philodendron
Typical UK price, cutting or corm
£6
Limited data
Price by size
- Sold, 90 days
- 0
- Middle half
- -
- Last sold
- 30 Jun 2026
- On record
- 1
Cutting/corm1 sold
7cmNone
12cmNone
MatureNone
- Sale
- Typical
- Middle half
- Estimate
for a cutting or corm
We may earn a commission if you buy through these links. It never changes the prices we show.
Recent UK sales
For sale in the UK
By month
| Month | Median | Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 2026 | £6 | 1 |
US eBay sold listings (not UK prices)
3 sold on ebay.com, 15 Apr 2026 to 21 Jun 2026, median US$39. These are not UK sales and are not in the UK price.
Philodendron rugosum aberrant Sow's Ear Pigskin Plant 5" Pot 13" Tall 27" Wide
US$39 · 21 Jun 2026Philodendron rugosum aberrant Sow's Ear Pigskin Plant 6" Pot 16" Tall 13" Wide
US$39 · 7 Jun 2026Philodendron Rugosum - 4” Grow Pot
US$37 · 15 Apr 2026
Before you buy
- Look for pronounced, deeply pockmarked texture on the newest mature leaf; flat or barely-bullate new growth suggests low-humidity stock
- Check that roots are firm and white to tan; avoid plants with black, slimy, or absent roots
- Inspect the leathery leaf surface closely for thrips damage, which can be harder to spot against the naturally rough texture
- Ask whether the plant has been grown in a terrarium or in open air, since that affects how well it will hold its texture in your own setup
About Philodendron rugosum
Philodendron rugosum, described by Bogner and Bunting, is a compact climbing aroid from the humid premontane and montane forests of southern Colombia and Ecuador, growing on mossy trees in warm, wet conditions with filtered light, consistent high humidity, and rich organic matter. Known in the hobby as the 'Pigskin Philodendron', it takes its name from the texture of its leaves: thick, leathery, deeply bullate and rugose cordate blades with a pockmarked, almost reptilian surface unlike any other Philodendron in cultivation. Short to moderate internodes form a compact climbing stem, with aerial roots at nodes aiding attachment. It is slow-growing, and each new leaf, with its raised-cell surface texture, takes time to develop fully.
Native range
Southern Colombia and Ecuador (humid premontane to montane forest)
Classification
- Genus
- Philodendron
- Family
- Araceae
- Type
- Wild
- Growth habit
- Compact climbing hemiepiphyte
Morphology
- Leaf shape
- CordateHeart-shaped foliage, featuring a rounded notch (sinus) where the leaf stem attaches., thick and leathery
- Leaf length
- 15-30 cm
- Leaf width
- 12-25 cm
- Petiole colour
- Short to moderate, green
- Venation
- Deeply sunken veins creating strongly bullate surface texture
- Texture
- Extremely rugose, bullate, thick-leathery (pigskin-like)
- Variegation
- None
- Growth habit
- Compact climber with short to moderate internodes and aerial roots at nodes
Philodendron rugosum care
- Substrate
- High-porosity mix: 50% perlite, 30% orchid bark, 20% coco coir, with a small support at the base for the aerial roots to grip. Good aeration matters more than usual here since growth is slow and roots sit in the same mix for a long time between repots.
- Watering
- Water thoroughly when the top 3-4 cm of substrate is dry, then don't rush the next one. A slow grower uses water slowly, and this cool-montane species tolerates a longer dry spell between waterings better than most climbers.
- Humidity
- Very high, 80-90%. A closed terrarium or cabinet setup produces the tightest, most pronounced leaf texture; open-room humidity below 70% tends to flatten the bullate surface on new growth.
- Feeding
- Quarter-strength balanced fertiliser once a month during the growing season. Slow, deliberate growth needs far less feeding than a vigorous climber, and overfeeding does more harm than good here.
- Repotting
- Every 18-24 months at most; the compact root system rarely fills a pot quickly. Repot only when roots visibly circle the base.
Common problems
New leaves emerging smooth rather than deeply bullate
Cause: Humidity too low for the raised-cell texture to develop fully
Fix: Move to a terrarium or high-humidity cabinet; texture on subsequent leaves usually improves once humidity is corrected
Root rot
Cause: Substrate staying wet for extended periods between the plant's naturally slow water uptake
Fix: Repot into a chunkier mix and water more sparingly; let the pot dry further than feels intuitive
No visible growth for months
Cause: Normal for this species, particularly in cooler winter conditions
Fix: Keep conditions stable rather than adjusting feed or light in response; resist the urge to intervene
Gear for this plant
- Coir Moss Pole, 120cm (4-Pack)Coco coir totem for climbing aroids to root into as they grow upward.
- Natural Rooting Powder, 3 x 75gRooting hormone powder for stem and leaf cuttings.
- Precision Bonsai Pruning Scissors, 200mmFine-bladed snips for clean node cuts when taking a cutting.
- Humidity Dome, Heavy-Duty Germination KitVented propagation dome for holding humidity around fresh cuttings.
How to propagate Philodendron rugosum
- Methods
- Stem cutting, Node cutting. Step-by-step guide
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Rewards a consistent watering and light routine, but tolerates the occasional lapse. Suited to growers with some houseplant experience.
- Time to establish
- 4-8 months
- Notes
- Single-node cuttings root readily in moist sphagnum or water. Maintain 70%+ humidity and bottom warmth for best results.