My passion for gardening extends to houseplants.
Before we moved into this house, the previous homeowners asked if they could leave their split-leaf (tree) philodendron behind. It apparently went crazy in the corner of the Florida room, so they didn’t want to relocate it. But once we got the keys to the house, I understood why they left it behind. It’s massive and heavy. (If I ever have to repot it, I’m not sure how I will manage it, to be honest.)
I don’t do much to it. I water it on occasion (it needs at least a gallon every time). I rotate the pot from time to time. I add supports when needed. I dust the leaves.
On Monday, I noticed something unusual about it.
This is miraculous, really.
“Philodendrons are tropical flowering plants and while they rarely, if ever, flower indoors, they certainly bloom in their natural habitat.” — PlantIndex
So, this is a rare occurrence, apparently, which makes me fortunate indeed. Because this is clearly not its natural habitat, and I think the ones that bloom indoors are likely at conservatories/botanical gardens that replicate their natural environment.
This habitat is a Midwest sun room. Definitely not tropical.
Anyway, I hope to see more flowers. The flowering period is from May to July — I’ve been researching this since I discovered the flower. The flowers only open for two days. By Wednesday, this flower was closed up tight.
I’m not a really superstitious person, but I think this is a sign of good luck. Don’t you?
Karyn Johnson 