31 Essential Philodendron White Princess Care Tips You Should Take To Heart

What Is Philodendron White Princess?

The Philodendron White Princess is a perennial from the Araceae family. It is characterized by white paint-flecked variegation on the green oval leaves and is prized for its dazzling foliage.

The Philodendron White Princess, also known as White Princess Philodendron, White Princess, and Philodendron, grows nicely as a houseplant in an east or west-facing window.

While the majority of this guide focuses on indoor growth, this Philodendron plant may also be grown outdoors in hardiness zones 9-11.

Origin And Family

White Princess Philodendron is a member of the genus Philodendron and the family Araceae. It comes from the rainforests of South America.

Often, this plant is mistaken for the Philodendron White Knight and Philodendron White Wizard, as each has beautiful white variegation on its emerald-colored leaves. The foliage of these philodendron plants can have nearly identical colors and shapes, especially when the plant is in its juvenile stage.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to tell the difference between these “royals.”

Brownish-purple stems (or petioles) with white edges on the cataphyll distinguish the Philodendron White Knight. The stems of certain White Knights may appear to be more burgundy in color, but they will never be green.

The Philodendron White Princess is perhaps the simplest of these three plants to recognize. The White Princess has a brilliant green stem with pink edges and occasionally white on the cataphyll and along the stem. It’s also a self-heading plant, which means it stays compact rather than vines like the White Knight or White Wizard.

The Philodendron White Wizard, in comparison to the White Knight and White Princess, has been the most difficult plant to identify. The White Wizard has a fully green stem that is frequently bordered in white or has white variegation stripes on it. In fact, this plant never has any other hues, so if you see any pink, burgundy, or brownish-purple anyplace, you’re looking at a different one.

Where To Buy

If you are looking to buy a Philodendron White Princess, we have great buying experiences with online sellers from Etsy. The White Princess is not a rare plant as it is being propagated en masse. This means the price has come down considerably.

However, it is still quite expensive, with prices for this plant typically ranging between $40 for small plants and $100+ for mature ones.

Philodendron White Princess Plant Size

When grown as a houseplant, the Philodendron White Princess grows to a height of 1-3 feet and spreads to a width of 1-3 feet. It’s a slow-to-moderate grower that flourishes when placed near an east or west-facing window.

Philodendron White Princess Care Needs

Your Philodendron White Princess, with its dazzling foliage, will flourish if you take good care of it. This plant loves humidity and relatively dry soil throughout the year.

Your Philodendron should be watered when the top two inches of soil are completely dry. Make sure water trickles from the drainage hole.

To maintain your Philodendron White Princess healthy and happy, read the more detailed growth advice we’ve put below.

Care Difficulty

Fortunately, the White Princess Philo is not difficult to grow. With the right combination of factors such as the amount of light and well-draining soil, you can keep this plant in its best health.

Growth Rate

Philodendron’s growth rate is typically slow-to-moderate. As it matures indoors, it should reach about 1-3 feet in height.

Philodendron White Princess unfurled her new leaf… That's my serotonin hit for the week ahhhhh. 💘 #houseplants #planttwitter #houseplanthour pic.twitter.com/seFmUN5kSb

— A M Kelso 🌿🌱🌿 (she/her) (@KaijuAmz) January 15, 2022

Potting

This stunning plant has adjusted well to indoor living and can thrive in almost any type of potting material. For most growers, plastic, terracotta, or clay planters will work best for White Princess Philodendron.

Most White Princess Philos require a medium-sized container. So long as your pot contains drainage holes, your plant should be protected from root rot.

Repotting

Moving your Philodendron White Princess into a bigger pot allows more space for its roots to expand and encourages the best growth. When you start to see roots pushing through the drainage holes, it’s a good sign that you should repot.

Typically, you’d want to repot this stunning plant every year. When repotting, swap out the old growing medium with a new batch of standard commercial potting soil when filling up the new pot.

Soil

For the White Princess, a standard commercial potting soil is a suitable choice. Add together components such as perlite, sphagnum peat moss, coco coir, and vermiculite to make your own soil mix. This helps support a relatively dry growing medium, which helps protect the plant from root rot.

Make sure your chosen soil type accommodates good drainage and aeration so the roots can breathe better.

We recommend the following potting mixes:

pH

Your Philodendron likes neutral to acidic soil, meaning you should keep the pH level at 5.6-7.3. If you’re concerned about acidity, you can buy a simple pH testing tool to examine your soil.

Regulate excessive pH levels on your soil with sulfur or aluminum sulfate. Improve low pH levels by adding baking soda, calcitic or dolomitic lime, or wood ash.

Water

White Princess Philodendron is a humidity-loving plant that needs relatively dry soil throughout the year.

Water your plant during the spring and summer months when the top two inches of soil are completely dry. Water the soil until it drains out of the plastic, terracotta, or clay pot’s bottom hole. If you’re using a collecting tray, discard any extra water to avoid root rot and other infections.

You won’t need a lot of water in the winter. Continue to provide heavy watering to your plants, but do it less regularly.

Avoid putting your Philodendron White Princess in direct sunlight, as this could severely damage or even kill it.

Light

Philodendron White Princess prefers bright indirect sunlight for 6-8 hours per day. Remember, you’re trying to recreate the humid conditions in the rainforests of South America. Placing this plant near an east or west-facing window works well in most situations. This location allows this beautiful plant to enjoy the morning sun with some dappled shade in the afternoon that prevents leaf burn.

You’ll know your Philodendron White Princess is getting too much light when its leaves start turning yellow. If it’s not getting enough light, its stems may thin out, and you may lose the white parts of the leaves, which provides the exotic and unique appearance of this indoor plant.

Fertilizer

Feed your White Princess if you want to give it some extra nutrient boost. Use a water-soluble fertilizer once a month during its growing season in the spring and summer months.

Here are some plant food options you can use:

In the winter months, you need to fertilize every 6-8 weeks.

Propagating Philodendron White Princess

It is possible to propagate a White Princess Philodendron with the right methods. Here are various techniques for propagating this stunning houseplant.

Lots of baby philodendron white princess’ pic.twitter.com/gaW0g2mguy

— Ross Lee (@RossleeGardener) October 30, 2019

Stem Cuttings In Soil

White Princesses may be propagated with ease by using stem cuttings that are simply planted in soil. Early in the spring, when the plant is actively developing, is the best time to propagate it.

1. Make a cut. Locate a healthy, new-growth part of your plant. Make a cutting that is at least 3 inches long and has some nodes showing. To avoid bacterial infection, make sure you’re using sanitized scissors.

2. Plant. Soak the cutting in moist soil and bury the nodes. Then, to keep the cutting in place, squeeze the earth around the stem.

3. Place. To facilitate rapid roots, keep the soil wet. Place the plant near a window where it will receive bright, indirect sunlight.

4. Be patient. New buds should appear on the upper leaves in around 2-3 weeks. This indicates that your cutting has taken root!

Stem Cuttings In Water

Your White Princess can also be rooted in water with these easy steps:

1. Cut. Take some cuttings with new leaves and about 2-3 nodes.

2. Submerge. Use a mason jar or any transparent container to submerge your cutting in water. Remove any bottom leaves which are below the water level.

3. Maintain. Place your propagation jar in a well-lit area with an average room temperature of 68°F.

4. Refill. To avoid bacterial infection, replace the water every few days.

5. Transplant. Once the cutting has grown roots that are at least one inch long, move it into damp, sterile potting soil.

Humidity And Aeration

This Philodendron is a popular plant that prefers a high humidity range of 60%-70%.

If the leaves of your Philodendron White Princess are curling or crispy with brown edges, you should acquire a humidifier. This gadget is meant to discharge steam continuously and considerably increase the humidity in a room.

Temperature

Warm temperatures are beneficial for your Philodendron plant in general. Temperatures between 64 and 73 degrees Fahrenheit are ideal.

Consistency is the most important factor for this plant. The Philodendron may be severely harmed by sudden temperature fluctuations. Close windows and seal any openings to prevent your plant from doing cold harm in the winter. Maintain the ideal temperature and keep it away from heat vents that might dry out the plants.

Toxic

Unfortunately, the White Princess is a toxic plant to people and pets such as cats and dogs. If this plant is ingested, you can expect the following symptoms: pain and swelling of the tongue, lips, and throat. In most cases, this plant is considered non-life-threatening.

What a difference a few months make, today vs when I first got my white princess philodendron 🥰🌱 pic.twitter.com/dfZCmgV6uQ

— aentee 🌙 no peak clan + poppy army (@readatmidnight) May 13, 2020

Pests, Diseases, And Other Problems

Overall, the Philodendron White Princess is neither a disease-resistant nor pest-resistant plant. Here are several fast cures for common diseases and pests, as well as some basic advice for keeping this plant healthy.

Spider Mites

Spider mites are an unwelcome but widespread problem on houseplants, particularly in Philodendron. Spider mite damage appears initially as little brown or yellow dots on the leaves of your plant. When the infestation is severe, you might notice fine, sticky webs crawling with red bugs.

To dislodge the spider mites, begin by thoroughly washing off every nook and cranny of your Philodendron. You will need to do this on a sink, in a tub, or outdoors. If that doesn’t work, you can use insecticidal soap, neem oil, or horticultural oil to suffocate the spider mites.

If you have several plants in your home, you might need to quarantine your sick plants while you’re getting the spider mite population under control.

Fungus Gnats

While adult fungus gnats do not harm plants, their eggs develop into larvae that feed on the roots of your White Princess Philodendron.

Because fungus gnats like moist circumstances, you should keep your topsoil dry by bottom-watering until you get rid of these pests. Bottom-watering your plant is as simple as putting a large basin of water beneath the container.

To dehydrate any remaining eggs and larvae, sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth powder over the topsoil. DE powder is manufactured from algal sediments. But it’s deadly to most insects and safe for plants!

Scale Insects

Philodendron White Princess may have scale insects develop on the stems or leaves. These little green, gray, brown, or black beetles are generally stationary once attached to a plant.

If the infestation is mild, you might use a teaspoon of neem oil diluted in four glasses of water to deter scale insects. Spritz the plant with a strong stream.

While neem and horticultural oils may not kill bugs, they will surely harm them. There are numerous insecticide sprays against scales that are regarded as safe to use indoors.

Aphids

Aphids will feed on your White Princess leaves, leaving black and brown areas.

Treat an infestation using insecticidal soap or neem oil. Dish detergent may also eliminate aphids without hurting your plant. Choose a fragrance-free product like Ivory Liquid.

Start with one teaspoon dish soap per gallon of water, then adjust as needed. Spray this solution on your plant, focusing on the undersides of leaves where aphids live.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs cause damage by absorbing the nutrients from the plant. If left unchecked, mealybugs have the potential to kill your Philodendron.

Rubbing alcohol is your number one weapon against mealybugs. It will kill mealybugs on contact and turn them into a translucent brown color. Dilute the alcohol in water and spray directly on the pesky critters.

Brown Leaf Tips

Many circumstances might cause browning on the borders of your White Princess Philodendron. A lack of humidity, salt and mineral buildup from chemically treated tap water, and fertilizer burn are all possible reasons for brown or crispy leaf tips.

Drooping Leaves

Drooping leaves on your Philodendron White Princess mean it’s thirsty. In this instance, watering your plant normally revives it. It may also help raise humidity.

Caution! Infested plants first exhibit droopy, curled leaves but later acquire spots, reduced growth, and an overall deterioration in health. If you suspect pests, always examine the underside of leaves.

Yellow Leaves

Yellowing leaves on White Princess can be caused by a myriad of factors. For one, lack of light can deprive your plant of nourishment and turn its leaves yellow. Alternatively, there might be an issue with underwatering, overwatering, or an inconsistent watering schedule in general.

Remove yellowing leaves so the plant can focus its energy on growing new green leaves instead.

Root Rot

Root rot is a major threat to Philodendron. Indoor gardeners tend to overwater their plants or forget to provide proper drainage. Rotting roots will appear black and mushy and will lead to the decline and eventual death of a plant. As the saying goes, prevention is always better than cure.

The easiest way to prevent root rot is to regulate water intake. Prolong the gap in between watering schedules, especially when your plant doesn’t receive enough sunlight and wind to dry the soil. Also, don’t forget to drill holes on the bottom of your pot to allow the water to drain!

Soil aeration is just as important in preventing root rot. If your soil tends to become compact and water-logged, add chunky and airy materials such as perlite, pumice, orchid bark, horticultural coal, coco chunks, river sand, and many others.

Similar Plants

Love White Princess Philodendron? Here are some other philodendron varieties you should try:

Philodendron Pedatum – This easy-to-care-for plant features distinctive multi-lobed leaves. This unique and sought-after plant is ideal for interior design and will brighten up any indoor garden.

Philodendron Pastazanum – Also known as “My Pasta” on social media, this plant has wonderful vein patterns. Each deep seam is formed by a center point that spreads out over the entire leaf in a spectacular fashion.

Philodendron Mayoi – This is a fantastic accent plant that looks great in any environment. Because it requires little care, it is suitable for beginners and enthusiasts.

Philodendron Mamei – As a beautiful potted plant, this Philodendron will brighten up your room. It also requires minimal upkeep, so you may enjoy the beauty of this plant without putting in too much effort.

Conclusion

With its dazzling foliage, the Philodendron White Princess grows beautifully indoors. It’s easy to care for. It loves bright indirect light, high humidity, relatively dry soil, and warm temps.

So if you’re looking for a new addition to your collection or are just getting started as an indoor gardener, use these instructions to grow your own Philodendron White Princess!

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