Philodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess'
Cultivar of nursery origin; parent species Philodendron erubescens is native to Colombia
First described by K.Koch & Augustin (parent species).
Dark green to near-black leaves with irregular bubblegum-pink variegated sectors; pink-and-green marbling varies leaf to leaf.
Climbing cultivar of P. erubescens; develops larger leaves with a moss pole and bright light.
Genus from Greek 'philo' (love) + 'dendron' (tree), referring to many species' habit of climbing trees. Epithet 'erubescens' means 'blushing'. 'Pink Princess' is a horticultural cultivar name.
Pink Princess' is a variegated cultivar of Philodendron erubescens (parent species native to Colombia), prized for dark leaves splashed with bubblegum-pink sectoral variegation. The pink is a chimeric mutation and is unstable: too little light causes all-green reversion, while an all-pink leaf lacks chlorophyll and cannot sustain itself. It should not be confused with the cheaper 'Pink Congo', whose pink is chemically induced and temporary.
Aroid mix (40% orchid bark, 40% coco coir, 20% perlite). Repot every 12–18 months in spring; provide a moss pole. Variegated forms prefer well-draining substrate.
Monthly during growing season (spring–summer)
- Root rot from overwatering; loss of variegation/colour and leggy growth in low light; spider mites and mealybugs in dry air; brown leaf tips from low humidity or tap-water minerals.
- The pink variegation is a chimeric mutation — every leaf is different, and no two plants are alike.
- Give bright indirect light to keep pink coming; in low light it reverts to all-green.
- Beware 'Pink Congo': its pink is artificially induced and fades to green within months, unlike true Pink Princess.