Houseplant · Araceae
Pink Princess Philodendron
Philodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess'
Pair even moisture with a bright spot out of direct sun and this eager climber rewards the effort with pink-streaked leaves in every flush of growth.
Bright indirect
65–85°F · 18–29°C
USDA 10–12
2–60 ft · 0.6–18.3 m
Overview
The Pink Princess is a climbing philodendron from the arum family, and it earns its fans with the splashes of bubblegum pink that streak its dark green, heart-shaped leaves. Every leaf unfurls a little different, and no two ever match. That element of surprise is what makes growing it such a kick, and it is also what turns the plant into a genuine project.
The pink runs on a chimeral variegation, which means it lives in only part of the plant's tissue and never promises to carry into the next leaf. A stem can revert to plain green and, if it goes unchecked, storm right past the pink. Learn to read the new growth and prune at the right spot, and you keep the color firing.
Kept indoors it stays a manageable grower, usually hitting around 3 feet (90 cm) as it climbs a moss pole or trellis, though the species scales far higher out in the wild. Give it warmth, bright indirect light, and a mix that drains well, and it powers along at a steady, forgiving pace that keeps rewarding the effort.
Care
The short version: bright indirect light, warmth between 65°F and 85°F (18°C to 29°C), and a moist but free-draining mix, and keep pruning any reverted green stems back so the pink keeps coming.
Light
Park it in bright indirect light near a window but out of the hot, direct beam, which scorches the leaves. Good light is exactly what drives the pink, so a spot that runs too dim hands you weak, mostly green growth instead.
Water
Keep the mix evenly moist but never soggy, and let the extra water drain right through every time. Waterlogged soil is the fast track to root rot, so lean toward strong drainage over watering often.
Soil
Set it up in a rich, well-draining mix built on organic matter like loam or silt. An acidic to neutral pH suits it fine, and the drainage counts for more than the exact recipe, since standing water rots the roots.
Temperature
It hits its stride in a warm room between 65°F and 85°F (18°C to 29°C). Keep it clear of cold drafts and chilly winter windowsills, since it has zero tolerance for the cold.
Humidity
This plant thrives on high humidity and pays it forward with fuller, healthier leaves. It will roll with average room air, but a humidifier or a pebble tray nearby pushes it to look its best.
Feeding
Feed it monthly through spring and summer with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer at half strength. Back off through the darker months when growth slows, since the plant is barely taking anything up then.
Pruning
Prune to shape the plant and, above all, to protect the pink. When a stem reverts to all green, cut it back to a node still bearing pink, or that vigorous green growth will muscle in and take over.
Repotting
Repot in spring once it goes root-bound, which you'll catch when roots fill the pot or shove out the drainage holes. Bump it up just one pot size so the fresh mix doesn't sit wet around the roots.
Size & spacing
24–720 in (61–1829 cm) tall
Troubleshooting
Most Pink Princess trouble turns up in the leaves and roots, and watering and light drive nearly all of it. Catch the early signs and the fixes are quick and satisfying. Match what you see below, then jump on it before it spreads.
Limp, yellowing leaves sitting in mix that won't dry
A droopy plant sitting in soil that stays wet has run into root rot, and overwatering or a soggy mix is what kicked it off. Dig in and check: firm, pale roots are healthy, while soft, brown ones have gone. Get it into a fresh, fast-draining mix, snip away the rotted roots, and dial back the watering, and it can rally.
Fix:
- Reduce watering frequency
- Repot into a fresh, well-draining, organic-rich mix
- Trim away rotted roots
Pink vanishing as new shoots push out all green
An all-green leaf pops out and the pink seems to be slipping? That traces back to the chimeral variegation, which the plant doesn't always keep, so a green stem can charge ahead and outpace the pink. Dim light drives it the same direction. Cut that reverted stem back to a node still flashing pink, then push the plant into bright indirect light and let the variegated growth roar back.
Fix:
- Prune the reverted stem back to a node that still bears pink variegation
- Provide bright indirect light
Leaf spots and dark lesions multiplying fast
Crisp little spots, some circled by a yellow halo, flag a fungal or bacterial leaf spot that jumps in when the air goes still and the leaves stay wet. Snap off the marked leaves and open up the space around the plant so the air can move. Aim your watering at the soil and keep the leaves dry, and you shut the door on it.
Fix:
- Remove affected leaves
- Improve air circulation
- Avoid wetting the foliage
Telltale webs, sticky coating, or cottony tufts showing up
Webbing, a sticky sheen, or cottony specks mean sap-feeding pests have moved in: spider mites, mealybugs, aphids, scale, and thrips. Webbing calls out mites, cottony clumps call out mealybugs, and a sticky film says something is drinking sap. Blast or wipe them off, hit the plant with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, and pull it away from the rest of the collection until it comes up clean.
Fix:
- Wipe off or rinse away pests
- Treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil
- Isolate the affected plant
Sun-scorched, bleached blotches on the foliage
Pale, crispy patches on the window-facing side are sun scorch from direct sun hitting too hard. This plant thrives on bright light, but the filtered kind, not a blazing beam straight through the glass. Slide it back from the window or drop a sheer curtain in front, and the fresh leaves come in clean.
Fix:
- Move to bright indirect light, out of direct sun
Toxicity
This is a toxic houseplant, so give it a home well out of reach of pets and children. Every part carries insoluble calcium oxalate crystals that sting and burn the mouth the second they get chewed, and the sap can irritate bare skin. Grow it for the show, never for the plate, because nothing on it is meant to be eaten.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Moderate
A cat that chews a leaf sets loose sharp calcium oxalate crystals that burn the mouth on the spot. Expect drooling, pawing at the face, and vomiting, plus a cat that backs off swallowing while its mouth and tongue turn sore and swollen.
Dogs Moderate
A dog that chomps the foliage grabs a mouthful of those stinging crystals. Watch for heavy drooling, retching or vomiting, puffed-up lips and tongue, and trouble swallowing soon after.
Horses Moderate
The same crystals fire up a horse's mouth and throat, driving drooling, painful swelling, and difficulty swallowing. Horses can't vomit, so the burning stays put in the mouth and gut.
Rabbits Caution
The oxalate crystals sting a rabbit's mouth just as they do other animals, so keep the plant well out of reach. One nibbled leaf can leave a rabbit sore-mouthed and turning away from its food.
Livestock Caution
Grazing animals that mouth the leaves hit the same burning irritation and drooling. It's no pasture plant, but a nosy goat or sheep that reaches it can end up with a sore, swollen mouth.
Birds Caution
A bird that bites the foliage runs straight into the same irritant crystals, with swelling and discomfort in the mouth. Keep pet birds away from the leaves and stems.
People Caution
No part of this plant is for eating. A chewed leaf burns the mouth and lips, and the sap can leave skin red and itchy, so pull on gloves when you prune and keep it away from small children.
Sap can cause contact dermatitis - wash hands or wear gloves when pruning
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
How to propagate
Here is the fun part: you can spin up more Pink Princess plants from the one you already grow, as long as you start from growth that already carries pink. Both methods below deliver, provided you kick off from a variegated node.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Spring to summer, during active growth · Several weeks to root
Grab your cuttings in spring or summer while the plant is charging through active growth, and load each one with at least one node that carries pink variegation. A cutting snipped from an all-green section only ever grows green, since the variegation is chimeral, so pick the pink and you win. Sink it into a moist medium and give it several weeks to root.
LayeringModerate
Spring to summer, during active growth · Several weeks to root before separating
Layering is the low-risk play, and spring or summer during active growth is the moment to run it. Root a stem while it stays hooked to the parent, wait out the several weeks it takes to root, then cut it free to launch as its own plant.
Myths
The variegation is set for life, so each new leaf is sure to come out pink.
The pink springs from a chimeral variegation that isn't fixed, so the plant can flip back to all green whenever it likes. Turn your back on a vigorous green stem and it charges past the variegated parts. Prune reverted growth back to a pink node to keep the color coming, and you stay in the driver's seat.
A stem that's dropped its pink will bounce back to variegated growth all by itself.
Once a stem flips all green it locks in that way, because the green tissue is stable and won't win back its variegation. Don't wait it out. Cut it back to a node that still shows pink and let variegated growth surge from there.