What is a hybrid and which Philodendron varieties are the prettiest?

The plant realm seems to have an ever growing amount of species. Think of the Marantaceae family that includes all kinds of prayer plants, the dogbanes which includes the adorable String of Hearts and the Aracea family or aroid family that counts around 3800 species! Pretty impressive if you ask us! With so many plants to choose from, plant enthusiasts still decide to cross certain plants to enhance qualities or combine desirable characteristics. This doesn’t occur naturally, so our green thumbed enthusiasts can be almost seen as plant wizards! In this blog we will highlight all the ins and outs about hybrids and some pretty Philodendron hybrids to add to your wishlist.

Fun fact! The enchanting big leaves from the Philodendron are not just for show, but are also very useful when it comes to removing pollutants from the air. So if you are looking to increase the overall health of your urban jungle, the Philodendron can definitely contribute to that!

How do they make Philodendron hybrids?

To keep it nice and simple, a hybrid Philodendron is made by crossing the plants together and the seeds. The seeds develop and there you a brand new plant species.

How do you care for a Philodendron Hybrid?

Generally the care is the same for a non-hybrid Philodendron. They like to grow inside medium to bright indirect light. Near a west or east facing window will do exactly the trick for them. They would be very happy if the average humidity is above 50% and the temperature between 18 and 27 degrees. So the overall environment for your Philodendron hybrid must be pretty achievable.

Fun fact! The Philodendron is used as a food resource by bats and monkeys in the wild. What a multi-purpose plant, right?!

You can place them inside an airy and chunky soil mix that meets the needs of an aroid. We have a special potting mix kit that contains lots of substrates that will make your hybrid Philodendron more than happy. We would advise to mix this according to these ratios: 60% potting soil, 15% french bark, 10% xoco fiber, 10% active charcoal and 5% perlite.

You can water your hybrid Philodendron whenever the top of the soil is starting to feel dry. This will maintain the humidity deeper inside the soil which will result in having slightly moist soil at all times. Make sure to poke your finger inside the soil multiple times a week to see if it needs a sip. You can also rely on the help of our tools Tessa the water meter and Naomi the plant sensor.

Fun fact! Did you know that some Philodendron species can produce a sugary substance that attracts ants? This is not for no reason, since the ants protect the Philodendron against other type of pests in the wild, nature keeps amazing us!

Hybrid Philodendron variaties

Now you know how to care for a Philodendron hybrid, we should go into the prettiest varieties that the hybrid Philodendron collection has to give us!

Philodendron Glorious

The Philodendron Glorious plant is a hybrid between 2 velvet leaf Philodendrons, the Philodendron Gloriosum and the Philodendron Melanochrysum. This plant has inherited all their beautiful characteristics, which shows in its dark color, ability to become huge and popping veins.

Photo by @plantalicious__ & @petty.petioles

Philodendron Splendid

Here we have a sibling from our prior hybrid candidate, the Philodendron Splendid. It is a cross between Philodendron Verrucosum and the Philodendron Melanochrysum. You see the resemblance in her rich foliage.

Photo by @thorin_scout_leaves & @allabout.theleaves

Philodendron Gigas

Another half sister of the previous plants, a third time's a charm right? The Philodendron Gigas is a hybrid between Philodendron Melanochrysum and Philodendron verrucosum. She has dark foliage, which can become huge. So her name ‘Gigas’ is not for nothing.

Photo by @herplantstories & @blossom_0136

Philodendron Red Anderson

The Philodendron Red Anderson is a hybrid between the Philodendron White Knight and the Philodendron Pink Princess. You can see the coloured variegation from both plants which makes her foliage very interesting.

Photo by @panyas_variegated_plants & @p.h.i.l.o.d.e.n.d.r.o.n

Philodendron Florida

This glossy green plant is a hybrid cross from the Philodendron Squamiferum. There are also other plant species within this plant, but they are unsure who these species are. We know for sure this pretty surprise was totally worth it!

Photo by @dirtyhands.lushheart & @jungly_g

Philodendron McColley’s Finale

This hybrid has a nice pop of colour. The Philodendron McColley's Finale is a hybrid between the Philodendron Wend-imbe and Philodendron Emerald Duke. She is particallarly enchanting when her foliage is juvenile and starts of a chestnut brown. It slowly fades to green, which is a nice transition to witness.

Photo by @usernamethis & @philodendronandfriends

Philodendron McDowell

Another stunning hybrid Philodendron that will make you fall for her giant heart shaped leaves. The Philodendron McDowell is a hybrid between Philodendron Pastazanum and Philodendron Gloriosum. All their nice traits come forward in this plant, are you able to see them?

Photo by @4everplantmum & @unplantparenthood

Philodendron Black Cardinal

If you fancy some dark foliage, the Philodendron Black Cardinal might be the hybrid you like. It is a hybrid between Philodendron Hastatum and Philodendron Hederaceum. Her foliage start off very dark and this fades to a dark green.

Photo by @planty_pot.ter & mylittlegreengang

Philodendron Majesty

This green hybrid Philodendron combines pretty green leaves with a touch of pink and chestnut brown. The Philodendron Majesty is a hybrid between Philodendron Hastatum and Philodendron Erubescens. That match has worked out very well!

Photo by @jeffrawx & @agathatisabel

Philodendron Imperial Red

Almost all colours are tackled by the hybrid Philodendrons, are you looking for a touch of red? The Philodendron Imperial Red has a deep red hue over her. She is a hybrid between Philodendron Erubescens and Philodendron Rojo Congo.

Photo by @cynbea & @fancypansymt

That was a lot of hybrid talk! We hope you have gained knowledge about hybrids and the beautiful Philodendron species that have been created by our plant enthusiasts. Do you own any of them? We would love to see them shine on Instagram, you can tag us with the hashtag #PLNTS, so we can see what stunner you have in your plant collection. If you want to know anything about a topic, you also may reach out to us on Instagram. Otherwise we wish you a lovely day!