Philodendron 'Painted Lady'
Cultivar of nursery origin (McColley program; a hybrid of 'Burgundy' and 'Emerald Queen', both Philodendron erubescens cultivars)
Heart-shaped leaves emerging bright yellow-green, maturing to mid/deep green; petioles mottled pink and red.
Climbing cultivar; larger leaves and stronger colour with a moss pole and bright light.
Genus from Greek 'philo' (love) + 'dendron' (tree), referring to many species' habit of climbing trees. 'Painted Lady' is a horticultural cultivar name.
Philodendron 'Painted Lady' is a hybrid from the McColley program, reportedly a cross of the erubescens cultivars 'Burgundy' and 'Emerald Queen'. A climber, it is grown for new leaves that emerge bright yellow-green and mature to deeper green, carried on speckled red-and-pink petioles that give the plant much of its character.
Bright indirect light keeps the yellow-green new leaves vivid and the petiole speckling strong. Provide a moss pole, an airy mix kept lightly moist, and moderate-to-high humidity.
Aroid mix (40% orchid bark, 40% coco coir, 20% perlite). Repot every 12–18 months in spring; pair with a moss pole.
Monthly during growing season (spring–summer)
- Root rot from overwatering; duller colour and leggy growth in low light; spider mites in dry air; brown tips from low humidity.
- Its speckled pink-and-red petioles are as much a feature as the leaves.
- New leaves emerge a bright yellow-green before deepening with age.
- It's a McColley hybrid, reportedly from crossing the 'Burgundy' and 'Emerald Queen' philodendrons.