From beginner gardeners to the greenest of thumbs, plenty of people have the humble heartleaf philodendron in their plant collection.
It’s an incredibly popular houseplant since it’s low maintenance and beginner-friendly. You can put it up on a shelf or set it on your desk to keep you company.
However, the Philodendron hederaceum heartleaf doesn’t just come in the typical deep green! Genetic mutations have produced several varieties with distinct leaf colours – called variegations.
Need help identifying what heartleaf philodendron variety you just got? Or maybe you feel like adding a variegated philodendron to your collection.
Get to know the different heartleaf philodendron varieties – who knows, maybe you’ll fall in love with one!
- Heartleaf philodendron
- Philodendron Brasil
- Philodendron Cream Splash
- Philodendron Gabby
- Philodendron Lemon Lime
- Philodendron Micans
- Philodendron Rio
- Philodendron Silver Stripe
Hello, Heartleaf Philodendron!
Philodendron hederaceum is a tropical plant native to South and Central America. In the wild, it’s known to climb up the sides of trees (called an epiphyte).
Heartleaf philodendrons are sometimes identified as Philodendron scandens or P. hederaceum ‘Aureum’. They get their name from their dark green, heart-shaped leaves.
P. hederaceum is an easygoing plant, since it can tolerate low-light conditions and isn’t fussy about water.
The philodendron heartleaf has a vining growth habit, with stems that can reach over a metre long. It looks gorgeous whether left to trail from hanging baskets or allowed to climb up a trellis!
Philodendron vs. Pothos
These are two of the most popular houseplants thanks to their low-maintenance needs. Because of their similarities, people sometimes mistake one for the other – especially the variegated types!
So what’s the difference between philodendron and pothos?
Plants from the Philodendron genus tend to have thin, heart-shaped leaves and thin aerial roots. New leaves emerge from the vine, protected by a cataphyll (thin covering).
On the other hand, Pothos plants have thicker, waxy leaves and thick, stubby aerial roots. The new leaves unfurl from existing leaves, usually from the petiole (stem connecting leaf to branch).
Both plants are aroids, or members of the Araceae family – the same as monsteras and aglaonemas.
Different Varieties of the Heartleaf Philodendron
From the standard P. hederaceum, genetic mutations have produced plants with variegations – leaves with different colours. These mutations are called “sports” in the plant world.
When the sport stabilises and can be consistently reproduced, it becomes a “cultivar.” That means it can be more widely cultivated or grown, typically from cuttings, grafts, or tissue cultures.
Just to make things easier, we’ll be using the terms “cultivar” and “variety” interchangeably!
Heartleaf philodendron
Variegation: None
Light: Bright, indirect to low
Habit: Climbing or trailing
This is the original, the OG – Philodendron hederaceum, or the heartleaf philodendron. It’s easily identified by the dark green, heart-shaped leaves and green stems.
In stronger light, the leaves can be a little brighter. However, heartleaf philodendrons can tolerate a variety of light levels, even low-light conditions.
P. hederaceum is a vining plant, so many indoor gardeners love letting it trail out of a hanging basket or planter. But if given support, it loves to climb!
Philodendron ‘Brasil’
Variegation: Lime green striations or splashes
Light: Bright, indirect
Habit: Primarily climbing
Philodendron hederaceum ‘Brasil’ or the Brasil philodendron is one of the most popular variegated cultivars of the heartleaf.
It’s less fussy than other variegated philodendrons – so long as it has bright, indirect light, it’ll be happy! Adequate light is key to maintaining the signature lime-green foliage.
The Brasil philodendron has wide, deep green leaves with lime or neon green variegation. The lime green is usually a striation (or stripe) up the middle, but other leaves might have lime splashes or edges.
So long as your Brasil philodendron has enough light, the variegation should be very stable.
Philodendron ‘Cream Splash’
Variegation: Light green and cream middle
Light: Bright, indirect
Habit: Climbing or trailing
The Philodendron hederaceum ‘Cream Splash’ is reported as an additional mutation to the Brasil! It’s also one of the more unstable variegations, since new leaf colours are unpredictable.
Philodendron Cream Splash has the same wide, heart-shaped leaves as the Brasil. The variegated foliage has a cream splash that spreads from the middle, with light green markings close to the centre.
Some of the more extreme variegations have mostly cream and pale green, with a little dark green around the edges.
The Cream Splash is often mixed up with the Silver Stripe. Generally, a Cream Splash philodendron plant has wider, rounder leaves and no silver colouring.
Philodendron ‘Gabby’
Variegation: Extreme variegation of cream and light green
Light: Bright, indirect
Habit: Climbing or vining
This is an extreme variegation of the Brasil philodendron, and is very similar to the Cream Splash!
The Philodendron hederaceum ‘Gabby’ is a sport (mutation) that originated from Gabriella Plants. It has highly unstable variegations, since its leaves are almost fully white or cream with pale green marks.
Some leaves might have dark green edges, while others might revert to solid green to absorb more light.
Due to the maximum variegation, it’s not uncommon for philodendron Gabby leaves to shrink or wither over time as they cannot photosynthesise. That means the plant may be more short-lived than other varieties.
Philodendron ‘Lemon Lime’
Variegation: Lime green or golden yellow leaves
Light: Bright to medium indirect
Habit: Primarily climbing
Say hello to one of the classics – the Lemon Lime philodendron, or Philodendron hederaceum ‘Lemon Lime’.
Instead of having different colours on one leaf, the Lemon Lime philodendron has lots of differently-coloured leaves. You’ll get a mix of dark green, lime green, and neon to golden yellow!
It’s a striking plant, adding more colour than your typical philodendron with dark green leaves. Brighter light gives you lighter-coloured foliage, but too strong sunlight can cause scorching.
Lemon Lime philodendrons love to climb, and will reward you with large, vivid leaves when given support.
Philodendron ‘Micans’
Variegation: Reddish-brown, purple, or burgundy blush
Light: Bright to medium indirect
Habit: Climbing or trailing
Also called the velvet leaf philodendron, the Micans’ full scientific name is Philodendron hederaceum var. hederaceum. (Kind of a mouthful, we know.)
Unlike other heartleaf varieties, the philodendron Micans has more subtle variegation. The dark green leaves will have blushes of reddish-brown, bronze, burgundy, or purple.
The foliage also has a velvety texture, which is where the Micans gets its other nickname. Avoid exposing the plant to prolonged direct sunlight, as this can scorch the leaves.
Bright to medium light will let you keep the stunning colours without the leaves turning dry and crispy!
Philodendron ‘Rio’
Variegation: Mix of silver, cream, and pale green
Light: Bright, indirect
Habit: Climbing or trailing
The Philodendron hederaceum ‘Rio’ is one of the rarest heartleaf varieties, so it can get pretty expensive! It’s only been around since about 2009, also reportedly from Gabriella Plants.
As the name “Rio” suggests, the plant is a sport that mutated from the Brasil philodendron. It’s unique for its slightly elongated leaves and the silvery variegation.
You can tell a philodendron Rio apart from a Cream Splash or Silver Stripe by the variegation pattern. The Rio has mostly silver variegation in the middle of the leaf, with minimal cream or pale green.
The leaves are also slightly thinner and longer than the rounder Cream Splash.
Philodendron ‘Silver Stripe’
Variegation: Pale green with silver stripes
Light: Bright to moderate
Habit: Primarily climbing
Yet another Brasil mutation, the Philodendron hederaceum ‘Silver Stripe’ sets itself apart by – you guessed it – the silvery stripes on its leaves.
The Silver Stripe has pale green striping in the middle of its leaves, with silvery edges that almost shimmer. Sometimes the leaves gain cream marks, but not to the extent of Cream Splash.
Unlike the Rio, this cultivar’s silver colouring is only around the edges of the pale green variegation.
Another way to distinguish the Silver Stripe is by the slightly elongated leaf tips, which make the foliage look longer and narrower than other varieties.
NOTE: The Silver Stripe is different from the Philodendron ‘Silver Sword’! The Silver Sword is a Philodendron hastatum cultivar.
Other Philodendron Plants
There are many other philodendron plants, including the Pink Princess philodendron or the Oak Leaf philodendron.
While these are all under the Philodendron genus, they’re all different species from P. hederaceum. For example, the Pink Princess philodendron is a P. erubescens cultivar.
General Philodendron Care
Heartleaf philodendron varieties have similar care requirements!
The key factor is light – plants like the Cream Splash and Brasil need a good amount of bright, indirect light to maintain their variegated leaves. Too little light exposure will make them revert to deep green.
However, avoid too much direct sun exposure, as this can scorch the lighter parts of the leaves.
If you don’t have a window that gets indirect morning sun, keep your philodendron plants under a full-spectrum grow light!
Heartleaf philodendrons can both trail and climb, but allowing your plant to climb can give you bigger leaves and lush growth. You’re also less likely to have “balding,” where there’s less growth at soil level.
When it comes to watering, don’t let the soil dry out completely. Philodendrons can’t store much moisture, so water when the potting mix is about halfway to almost dry.
Philodendrons are tropical plants, but will do fine in typical household humidity levels (50-60%). Make sure your plants have good ventilation to prevent mould or bacteria growth.
All philodendrons are toxic to pets, especially if ingested. If you suspect your pet has licked or eaten philodendron leaves, take it to the vet immediately.
