Philodendron 'McColley's Finale'
Cultivar of nursery origin (Bob McColley hybrid program, Florida); self-heading hybrid Philodendron
Glossy, elongated heart-shaped leaves emerging bright orange-red, maturing through copper to deep green.
Compact, self-heading rosette; does not climb.
Genus from Greek 'philo' (love) + 'dendron' (tree), referring to many species' habit of climbing trees. 'McColley's Finale' honours hybridiser Bob McColley.
Philodendron 'McColley's Finale' is a self-heading hybrid from the celebrated McColley breeding program in Florida. It is grown for new leaves that emerge bright orange-red, deepening through copper to dark green as they mature, creating a multi-tone rosette. It is non-variegated and undemanding.
Easy and colourful: bright indirect light brings out the strongest red new growth. Water when the top 2–3 cm dries; no support needed as it forms a self-heading clump. Feed monthly in the growing season.
Aroid mix (40% orchid bark, 40% coco coir, 20% perlite). Repot every 1–2 years in spring; keep as a self-heading clump.
Monthly during growing season (spring–summer)
- Root rot from overwatering; muted new-growth colour in low light; spider mites in dry air; brown tips from low humidity.
- New leaves emerge fiery orange-red before settling to deep green, so the plant shows several colours at once.
- It comes from the famous McColley hybridising program in Florida, which produced many classic philodendron cultivars.
- It's self-heading, staying as a tidy clump rather than vining.