Philodendron White Knight

If you’re a fan of variegated plants, the Philodendron White Knight is one that you will definitely want to add to your wish list. This houseplant is part of the Araceae family and originate from South America. The 'White Knight' exploded in popularity over the past few years along with other rare variegated houseplants such as the pink princess Philodendron, Monstera Thai constellation, and Ring of Fire and others.

This tropical houseplant is hard to find and comes with a big price tag, but one glance at its gorgeous variegation will show you why. It has lush green foliage with hints of white variegation flecked and marbled throughout. If you do get your hands on one, you'll want to know how to properly care for this beauty.

Here are some quick tips to understand the Philodendron White Knight's basic care:

Botanical Name: Philodendron Erubescens

Plant type: Slow to medium climbing plant

Exposure to sunlight: Plenty of bright indirect light

Soil type: Well-draining and very chunky soil

Color: Green and white flecked marble variegation

Water: Moderately watered - moist soil

Favorable climate: Tropical & Humid

Preferable Fertilizer: Liquid fertilizer

Propagation: Stem cuttings with node - air layer for best results

Toxicity warning: Toxic if ingested

Status: Rare

Height: Up to 10 feet tall

Origin: South America

Now that you've gotten a quick overview of this rare White Knight, we will give you important tips, do’s, and don'ts with growing this coveted plant.

Philodendron White Knight Potting Mix:

Philodendron White Knight like to be kept in a rich, moist and well draining soil. To create your own well draining soil, you can use potting soil, orchid bark, peat moss, coconut coir and perlite to help create better drainage and aeration for your White Knight.

Airflow is very important in potting soil, as it allows the plants roots breath. Not having enough oxygen to the roots can eventually cause them to start rotting and your plant to die off due to not being able to absorb water.

Tip: Adding other organic materials like coco coir, mulch chunks and coconut husk to the soil will help restrain moisture.

Philodendron White Knight like to be kept moist, so it’s important to use materials that will help hold moisture without causing the soil to become soggy. Adding compost or mulch to the soil will add more richness which will help the plant thrive.

White Knight Philodendron Watering:

Philodendron White Knight like to be kept in moist soil, so water moderately. You should check the top 2 inches of soil with your finger to feel if the soil is still moist. If the soil is dry, it’s time to water your plant. A sign that your plant needs water is drooping leaves.

Although Philodendron White Knight like to be kept in moist soil, you need to try and avoid over-watering.

Rotting roots can’t take in any water or nutrients to the plant and this can cause pest problems, fungus issues and possible plant death. Potential signs that you have over-watered your Philodendron White Knight are yellowing and wilting leaves.

You should ensure your plants are potted into pots with many drainage holes, a well draining soil and a pot that's the right size for it's root ball. This will assist in avoiding common issues like over-watering. After you’ve watered your plants, always tilt your pot and check that saucers are emptied so plants aren’t left sitting in water.

White Knight Philodendron Lighting:

Philodendron White Knight will grow best when in bright indirect lighting. You should avoid the direct sunlight as this will burn the foliage, but filtered light works too.

While the white variegation will burn quite easily and faster than the green portions of the leaf, the philodendron White Knight can lose its variegation if its kept in a spot that doesn’t receive adequate lighting.

Your Philodendron White Knight will become long and leggy if it’s not receiving enough light throughout the day. However, yellowing and/or brown crispy leaves can be a sign that your plant is getting too much light. Moving your plant to a spot where it receives filtered sunlight will help keep your Philodendron White Knight growing happy.

Just like direct sunlight, if your plant is sitting too close to the grow lights, they will burn the foliage. Keeping a safe distance of at least 23 inches between your plant and the light will avoid any trouble.

Philodendron White Knight Humidity:

Since this plant originates from tropical areas, it loves to be kept in a humid environment. Your Philodendron White Knight will grow best when kept in a moderate to high (50%-70%) humidity environment.

Providing a high humidity for your plants will keep them happy and encourage bigger and healthier growth. If you’re finding the humidity to be a little too low, there are a few thing you can try that can help bump up the humidity in your home.

1. Misting your plants: Spraying a fine mist over your plants can help increase humidity as the water evaporates.  
2. Pebble trays: As the water evaporates from the pebbles, it adds additional moisture to the air which helps increase the humidity.
3. Grouping plants together: Plants grouped together can help increase the humidity.
4. Humidifier: Humidifiers release water vapor into the air which helps to increase the moisture in the air.

White Knight Philodendron Fertilizer:

The best fertilizer to use for Philodendron White Knight is a well balanced all purpose fertilizer diluted to half strength. You should ensure if contains the beneficial ingredients such as Phosphorus, Potassium, Nitrogen, Calcium, Iron, Zinc and Magnesium.

All of these elements help to promote and maintain healthy growth. You should avoid using a fertilizer that contains heavy salts as they can damage the roots and may even cause plant death. Adding things like leaf and bark matter, peat and organic manure to the soil can create an organic fertilizer.

When it comes to fertilizing houseplants, you need to be cautious of over-fertilizing. Over-fertilizing your Philodendron White Knight can burn the roots and foliage. This can then cause curling and wilting leaves, brown tips and possibly plant death.

White Knight Toxicity For Pets:

Philodendron White Knight contains calcium oxalate crystals which are toxic to both humans and pets. If any part of the plant is ingested, symptoms may include a burning sensation and swelling of the lips, mouth, throat and tongue.

Symptoms from pets may include vomiting, lack of appetite, drooling and pawing at the mouth. You should keep this plant out of reach from children and pets.

Philodendron White Knight Propagation:

Your Philodendron White Knight may be easily propagated through stem cutting. Cut a stem about an inch below a node using sharp, clean shears to take a cutting. Place the stem into water, removing any lower leaves to ensure no foliage is submerged. Replace the water every 4-7 days to keep the white knight propagation happy and healthy.

The aerial root should be submerged underwater. The best water to use is rainwater, distilled, filtered, then sink water. After roots become 1-2″ long, plant them in soil, water thoroughly, and place in indirect light. 

Philodendron White Knight Rarity:

As stated before, the Philodendron White Knight exploded in popularity over the past few years along with other rare variegated houseplants. This is why the White Knight is so expensive.

Where To Buy Philodendron White Knight In California:

If you're looking to buy a healthy, good variegated and well established Philodendron White Knight in California, look no further than plantvault.com!