Philodendron Pink Princess: What You’ll Want to Know


These are some of the most unique houseplants for a reason. Are you surprised? Learn more below.
By     

Houseplants are a brilliant way to add accent colors to your home’s interior, and if you are a fan of pastel pink or love the rare and unusual, you need to check out the pink princess philodendron! It is one of the rarest philodendron species, characterized by bubblegum gum pink variegation on iconic dark-green heart-shaped leaves.

Without a doubt, this plant—Philodendron erubescens ‘pink princess’—is truly unique. The leaves are accented with pink and warm, deep chocolate brown; the stems are a brilliant dark red. Its pink coloration lends itself to the plant’s common name, the blushing philodendron. 

With your interest peaked, let’s talk about the philodendron pink princess, including why it’s so rare, how to grow one in your home, and even how to propagate it in an attempt to have more than one of these beauties.

General Philodendron Information

Philodendrons are very popular houseplants, especially with people who just got into plants or think they have a black thumb. They are native to tropical forests, growing in the understory and climbing trees. In turn, the beautiful foliage plants are great climbers, can handle lower light conditions, and are incredibly easy to care for. 

What Makes the Pink Princess Unique?

With over five hundred different philodendron species, why is this one so unique? 

Pink princesses are rare—and expensive—because they are challenging to propagate. They are nearly impossible to grow from seed, and when propagated, growing cannot guarantee the young leaves on new plants will be pink or pink enough to be classified as a pink princess philodendron. 

Leaf variegation happens when a mutation in the cells results in a lack of chlorophyll, the pigment that makes leaves green. This variegation can occur genetically (e.g., asexual propagation) or occur randomly. The challenge is that the propagation of a variegated stem cutting doesn’t always result in a start with the same pink coloration.

Buying Considerations

When buying a plant, be careful that it is an actual philodendron prink princess and not a Pink Congo philodendron. Unfortunately, some sellers try to scam buyers by selling them the Pink Congo, a plant that may be chemically altered to change the leaves entirely pink. Eventually, any pink leaf will change back to green.

Many reputable sellers on Etsy and social media platforms use propagation techniques to clone new starts from their mature plants. To be safe, check their reviews and only purchase from someone with a good reputation.

A beautiful philodendron with pink and black patterned leaf.

Care Guide

The key to keeping the brilliant pink variegation on your plant is taking care of it properly, especially making sure it gets the right type and amount of sunlight. Beyond that, it is easy to care for since it is a philodendron. This group of plants is known for being low maintenance, so they are great for beginners.

Light Requirements

Your pink princess needs plenty of bright indirect light to maintain its beautiful color. Too much direct sunlight scorches the leaves. Too little light and the beautiful leaves will quickly begin reverting to green and lose their stunning variegation. Indoors, your plant can tolerate a couple of hours of direct light, but no more.  

If your home doesn’t receive enough “good light” or only has spots with lots of direct sun, it’s recommended you buy a grow light to supplement your plant. When you invest in a princess pink philodendron, you want to do everything possible to keep it beautiful.

Watering

Pink princess plants prefer to stay a little on the drier side. Let the top inch or two dry out, and then water the potting soil well. Thorough watering on a less frequent schedule encourages better root growth and prevents overwatering. Ensure your plant is never sitting in excess water; they are susceptible to root rot.

Temperature and Humidity

Philodendrons thrive indoors as they prefer ambient temperatures between 65-79°F. They do not like the cold, so avoid exposure below 60°F. This means keeping them off of cold, drafty windowsills during winter. They also love higher humidity areas of your house, like the bathroom or by the kitchen sink, because of their tropical origin.

Unfortunately, many homes are dry, with humidity levels dropping even more during the cold, dry winter. To create localized areas of high humidity, you can run a humidifier by your plants or place them in a pebble tray that has a slight amount of moisture in the bottom.

Fertilization

Give your philodendron pink princess a dose of a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly during the active growing season. You can follow the mixing instructions on the label or give your plant half the amount. Liquid formulations are easy to dilute in water and then use the solution to water when the soil is dry.

Pest & Disease Problems

Common pests are the same as any other houseplant: aphids, fungus gnats, mealybugs, scale, and spider mites. If you have bugs in your plant, spray the entire foliage, top and bottom, with insecticidal soap. Root rot is a problem due to overwatering and isn’t treatable with chemicals; rust spot is a common fungal infection, treatable with neem oil.

A close-up image of a pink and black philodendron leaf.

Propagation

The process of propagating a pink princess is not difficult. Philodendrons are known for how well stem cuttings root in water or growing media. However, the challenge is whether or not the pink variegation will show in the newly propagated plant. As mentioned above, even with a heavily propagated parent plant, there is no guarantee the new start will carry on the mutation.

Supplies

  • Pink Princess philodendron
  • Pruning shears or scissors
  • Water
  • Clean glass or jar
  • Container with drainage holes
  • Growing media (perlite, sphagnum moss, coconut coir, and potting mix are all excellent choices)

Prepping Stem Cuttings

  1. Choose the best cutting on the plant. You want it to have a highly variegated pink leaf at the top end, at least a handful of leaves, and a couple of nodes on the stem. 
A closer shot of a pink philodendron leaf.
  1. Use sharp, sterilized scissors or pruning shears to cut the stem cleanly, removing the cutting from the plant.
A gardener using a sharp scissor in cutting philodendron stem.
  1. Remove the bottom leaves, keeping at least one or two on the upper end of the stem.
Three correctly cut stems of a philodendron plant.
  1. Set the stem cutting on a paper towel or napkin for up to 24 hours to let the cut stem callous over. 

Rooting Cuttings

Once the cut edge has been calloused over, you can root it in a clean jar filled with water or immediately plant the cutting in a container filled with growing media. You should see new roots growing from the stem nodes in about two or three weeks, and existing aerial roots will elongate.

  • Water method: Place the stem cutting in the jar of water and put it where it receives bright, indirect light. Ensure the nodes are constantly submerged in water and change the water every couple of days to minimize bacterial growth. When the roots get to be about an inch or so long, transfer the cutting to a container with well-draining potting soil or coco coir. 
Root sprouting of a philodendron stem using water method.
  • Growing media method: Fill a container with the growing media of your choice and plant the cutting in the center so the nodes are buried. Put the container where it gets bright, indirect light and keep the substrate moist but not soggy. After a couple of weeks, gently tug on the plant—if there is some resistance, the roots have started growing.
A plant cutting planted on a growing media using an old plastic cup container.

Pruning

Regular pruning of your plant controls the size and shape, encouraging the plant to put out new leaves and become fuller and bushier. It also removes dead leaves and helps promote new growth that will hopefully be the desired pink philodendron heart-shaped foliage. Always use sharp, sterilized scissors to make pruning cuts.

The pink variegated leaves may perish after some time on the plant. When they are pink instead of green, they have no chlorophyll and cannot photosynthesize and produce food. This is why the plant naturally tries to grow more green leaves instead of the pretty pink ones.

Tips for Growing Pink Princess Philodendron

  • Browning edges on the leaf margins of philodendron varieties are usually due to a lack of humidity. Unfortunately, it is one of the common problems with these plants. When the humidity is low, the leaves dry out, and there is no way to reverse the damage. Increase the humidity around the plant to prevent further browning.
  • If your plant is losing its variegation—and this goes for the leaves losing their green variegation OR losing their bright pink spots—prune your plant back to just above a well-variegated leaf.
  • Repot your pink princess philodendron plant every year to every two years into a new pot. Repotting refreshes the growing substrate and prevent the plant from becoming rootbound.
  • A philodendron, regardless of its variety, is a vining plant. It uses its aerial roots to climb and grows best when it has a trellis or moss pole to attach to and grow upwards.
  • Keep your plant away from pets and young children, as the leaves are toxic.
  • Aerial roots can be trimmed back if they get too long and appear unsightly, as long as the plant isn’t using them to climb up a support structure.
A pink philodendron plant stems with roots propagated using the aerial method.

Design Ideas

  • Plant in an aqua, navy, or coral-colored pot to accent the beautiful pink variegation.
  • Pair with upright plants to create a dramatic display that “moves” in multiple planes. Jade plants, ZZ plants, a bird of paradise, and bamboo palms are great choices. You could also wrap the trunk of a money plant with moss to give the pink princess a structure to climb.
  • Group with brightly colored plants like a snake plant with intense yellow variegation or a bromeliad or kalanchoe with bright orange or yellow flowers. 
Carley Miller
Carley Miller is a horticultural expert at Bustling Nest. She previously owned a landscaping business for 25 years and worked at a local garden center for 10 years.
WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.