Philodendron Moonlight Care Tips You Should Know

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Philodendron Moonlight is a tropical and easy-to-care-for plant that will bring life to any home or indoor garden. This specific variety is known for its bright fluorescent green colors. 

In this post, we’re discussing Moonlight Philodendron care tips and several options for purchasing a Philodendron Moonlight. Continue reading to learn more about the exciting characteristics of this adorable hybrid.

What Is Philodendron Moonlight?

The Philodendron Moonlight is commonly called Moonlight Philodendron and Lime Philodendron (not to be confused with the Lemon Lime Philodendron). It is a perennial that is well-known for its chartreuse-green and spear-shaped leaves. 

This tropical plant from the Araceae family gets its name from the way its foliage looks unfurling; luminescent like the moon, its leaves appear white before turning green.

While most of this article focuses on indoor growth, this Philodendron can also be grown outdoors in hardiness zones 10-11.

If you’re looking for more Philodendron types, we’ve got the article for you.

Origin And Family

The Moonlight Philodendron belongs to the Philodendron genus and the Araceae family. It comes from the Central and South American rainforests. In recent years, philodendron Moonlight has become a popular indoor plant for indoor growers – especially due to its low-maintenance needs.

Philodendron Moonlight Plant Size

The Moonlight Philodendron is a mature Philodendron plant that grows approximately 20-24 inches tall. It grows well near a north-facing window because of its height, light requirements, and moderate humidity requirements.

Similar Plants

If you like Moonlight Philodendron, you should consider these other Philodendron options:

Philodendron Birkin – The Philodendron Birkin is a beautiful houseplant with striking white stripes on dark green leaves. These patterns give the plant a dainty appearance and may lead you to believe it is difficult to care for; fortunately, this is not the case.

Philodendron Prince of Orange – This glamorous plant gets its name from its exquisitely colored leaves, which unfurl with a deep orange-bronze color that turns salmon as they grow larger.

Philodendron Gloriosum: This eye-catching plant has oversized, heart-shaped leaves with distinct veins.

Philodendron Moonlight Care Needs

Your Philodendron Moonlight, like any other Philodendron plant, will thrive when adequately cared for. The Lime Philodendron adores bright indirect sun and wants relatively moist soil throughout the year. That said, it likes to dry out a bit between waterings.

Water when the top inch of the soil is dry and allow plenty of time for the water to drain out of the pot’s draining hole. Similarly, this lovely plant needs bright indirect light to thrive.

Check out the thorough care guidelines below for more specific advice.

How Fast Does Moonlight Philodendron Grow?

The Philodendron Moonlight plant grows to a mature height of 20-24 inches. Their growing season is between spring and summer.

Most Philodendron species, including the Moonlight, grow quickly when given proper light and humidity.

Is Philodendron Moonlight Easy To Grow?

Because of its simple light, water, and humidity requirements, the Philodendron Moonlight is frequently considered a low-maintenance option (most Philodendrons are). If you want to grow this fantastic plant successfully, make sure you have enough light and well-draining soil.

Potting

This vibrant plant has adjusted well to indoor living. It can thrive in most medium potting options, assuming you have a drainage hole for excess water. Lately, I’ve been getting into self-watering planters. My Philodendron plants all seem to thrive when they can regulate their own water intake. 

As your Philodendron Moonlight grows, consider upgrading to a new pot every year or two, specifically when you see roots starting to grow out of the pot.

To freshen up your Philodendron plant, replace the old soil with new organic potting soil between repotting.

Soil

The Philodendron Moonlight does best in airy potting soil that’s high in organic matter. Use sphagnum peat moss, peat-vermiculite, or peat-perlite to construct your own or simply purchase one online. 

Root rot and other diseases are thwarted by efficient drainage, supported by the soil type. You want to use a well-draining soil or potting mix with this tropical plant for best results.

These are some excellent potting mixtures:

pH

You’ll need a soil pH of roughly 5.0-7.0 for this Moonlight Philodendron, which is neutral to acidic. If you’re concerned about pH, you can buy a simple internet pH test to examine your soil.

Water

This Philodendron wants to dry out just a bit between waterings. A good way to test this is by sticking your finger in the potting soil.  When the top inch of soil on your Philodendron is dry, it’s time to water it.

Too much water or improper drainage can mean root rot for the Moonlight Philodendron. 

That said, underwatering can lead to stunted growth or color changes in its green leaves. Still, it’s usually something you can fix with time and patience.

Light

This houseplant prefers bright indirect light for at least eight hours a day. 

Bright direct light or very early morning sun is also suitable for this popular houseplant – but only for 2-3 hours a day.

Too much light and the colorful yellow leaves may get damaged or burned. If you don’t have enough light, it may become leggy and not achieve its full height or vibrant color.

Bring them closer to a window if you’re concerned that your Philodendron Moonlight or other house plants aren’t getting enough light.

If you don’t have enough light, consider using artificial LED lights to help your plants thrive. Here are some basic small grow light options to consider.

Fertilizer

A water-soluble option is excellent for the Philodendron Moonlight in terms of fertilizer. Feed this, such as a Noot Organic Plant Food. In the spring and summer, you should be feeding the plant once a month.

In the wintertime, you should only fertilize every six to eight weeks.

You want to mimic the nutrients Moonlight Philodendron would naturally get from Central and South America, many of which can also be accessed via the soil. Read our section on the organic potting soil needs for this plant.

Humidity

When considering humidity levels for your Philodendron Moonlight, keep in mind that you’re attempting to replicate the rainforests of Central and South America.

This Philodendron is an adorable hybrid plant that prefers a moderate humidity of 50% or higher. 

Do you live in a space with naturally low humidity? The best way to improve this is to purchase a humidifier for your space. I like a home purifier because it can humidify a larger space.

Temperature

Generally, warm temperatures are best for your Moonlight Philodendron plant. Still, it can thrive in an ideal temperature range of 65-78 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep it far from vents, open windows, or doors, as it doesn’t enjoy quick temp changes.

Flowers

A mature Philodendron Moonlight can produce pinkish-white flowers with a white spadix. But this is very rare and almost never happens when these plants are grown indoors. 

Primarily, these plants are grown for their foliage.

Here’s a photo submitted by our reader, Sara Shaw:

Toxic

Philodendrons of all varieties are toxic to pets, including cats and dogs, as well as people. Its leaves contain calcium oxalate crystals. 

When ingested, you can expect the following symptoms: swelling of the lips and tongue and stomach irritation with possible vomiting. 

Pests, Diseases, And Other Problems

The Philodendron Moonlight is not resistant to several bugs, issues, and diseases. Below, I’ve included some common problems and tricks to help get your plant back in shape. 

Spider Mites

Spider mites are an unfortunate but common issue, particularly with Moonlight Philodendron. Spider mite damage will first appear as tiny brown or yellow spots on the leaves of the Philodendron.

You might also notice your plant has stopped growing. And since spider mites are related to spiders, they produce webs, which is kind of gross. So that’s another sign to look out for.

To combat spider mites on your Philodendron Moonlight, start spraying it down with a sink nozzle. If that doesn’t work, horticultural oil mixed with water can do the trick.

If you’re looking for a more natural solution, ladybugs can help keep your spider mite population in check. There’s also a bug that’s literally called the “spider mite destroyer,” so that could be an option, as well.

Scale Insects

Scale insects suck the sap from your stems and leaves, leading to stunted growth, deformities, yellowing leaves, and more.

They typically live on the leaf joints, leaf veins, and stems of Philodendrons. They also produce a sticky residue, which is pretty disgusting. 

An insecticide is a good option for scale insects. You can purchase one or concoct your own.

Aphids

Misshapen, curling, stunted, or yellowing leaves can be signs of aphids. They’re more common outdoors, but your Moonlight Philodendron is still vulnerable to the inside.

Use insecticidal soap or neem oil mixed with water to treat aphids, or make your own with a (scent-less) dish detergent. Mix a weak solution of soap and water (starting with 1 teaspoon per gallon and increasing as necessary). Spray the plants thoroughly, paying close attention to the undersides of the leaves.

Mealybugs

Your Philodendron Moonlight may become a victim of Mealybug infestation. Using their sucking ability to feed on the plant’s sap, these parasites cause damage to your Philodendron. Mealybugs can weaken or destroy your Moonlight Philodendron.

A cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol should be used on the spear-shaped leaves and stem of the plant to combat the mealybug infestation. As a prophylactic spray, I recommend using Neem oil mixed with water.

Brown Leaf Tips

A Moonlight Philodendron’s brown leaf tips can be caused by a lack of moisture. Philodendrons require moist but not soggy soil to thrive. Because potted plants dry out faster than those planted in the ground, check your Philodendron every two to three days and water as soon as the soil feels slightly dry.

Brown leaf tips can also be caused by over-fertilizations. Water plants frequently to flush out the soil and prevent tip burn. The heavy watering removes accumulated salts. 

A lack of humidity could be another cause of brown leaf tips.

Drooping Leaves

Too much or not enough water are the main causes of drooping leaves in this Philodendron. Drooping leaves can also indicate that your plants aren’t getting enough fertilizer. Finally, if the plant is experiencing root rot, the leaves may either droop or begin to wilt.

There are a few pests and diseases that can cause drooping leaves too, so be sure to check your plant for these problems.

Yellow Leaves

Wait, isn’t my Moonlight Philodendron supposed to be yellow? While this variety is naturally more neon than most, you may still notice yellow leaves on the plant. Much like brown leaf tips, this can be caused by a slew of issues – underwatering, overwatering, nutrient deficiency, or incorrect lighting. You’ll need to troubleshoot to figure out what’s causing the problems.

Yellow leaves can also be caused by a few pests.

Root Rot

Moonlight Philodendron is frequently killed by root rot. Indoor gardeners either overwater or fail to provide adequate drainage for their potting soil. These are the two most common causes of root rot. Because root rot is difficult to treat, as are many other plant diseases, prevention is the best option.

The simplest way to avoid root rot in Philodendron Moonlight is to carefully monitor the amount of water it receives. An excess of water is the primary cause of this perplexing and often fatal illness.

Where To Buy Philodendron Moonlight

You can likely find a Philodendron Moonlight at your local nursery, but don’t forget that you can also get them on Etsy – which we actually prefer.

The pricing of Philodendron Moonlight ranges from about $15 to $40.

Click here to get 10% off your first order from Icarus Plants!

Conclusion

Prized for its chartreuse-green and spear-shaped leaves, this beautiful Philodendron Moonlight is an adorable hybrid decorative plant for your household. 

You’ll have no trouble growing this Philodendron if you follow our care instructions.

Do you have a Moonlight Philodendron in your indoor garden? We’d want to see it! Please submit photos to [email protected], and we might post them on our blog!

Let's grow together!