Philodendron Paraiso Verde is highly sought after because of its unusual variegated foliage. An evergreen aroid, it will grow outdoors in the right conditions, but will also thrive indoors as a houseplant.
Philodendron Paraiso Verde is a beauty, which is very easy to grow and equally easy to maintain. It has a few basic needs, including the right light, water, and sufficient humidity. Get that right, and you’ll have a winner of a specimen.
What is Philodendron Paraiso Verde?
Philodendron Paraiso Verde (Green Paradise) has elongated light and dark green leaves with beautifully mottled variegations. It is also known as Marina Ruy Barbosa, after a beautiful, young Brazilian actress.
Often described as rare, it is regarded as a collectors’ item. While offered for sale all over the Internet, it is often reportedly “out of stock” and always relatively expensive.
Growth
Philodendron Paraiso Verde grows fast and, if supported, will climb.
History and Origin
First discovered in the 1600s, philodendron plants are native to the tropical regions of America and the West Indies. They are fast-growing aroids from the Araceae family, which means they are related to monsteras, anthuriums, pothos, arrowhead vines (syngonium), and other common indoor plants.
It is named by Heinrich Wilhelm Schott in 1829, they thrive in tropical rainforests, swamps, and on the banks of rivers in tropical areas.
There is a story that the first Philodendron Paraiso Verde was discovered and collected from a jungle in French Guiana by a man who owned a nursery in Brazil.
In 2016, a plant collector, Chandra G. Hendarto, bought a cutting from Natalino’s nursery. Soon after it was exported to Thailand, which is where many people buy it today.
Foliage
These philodendron plants are grown mainly for their stunning mottled, marble-patterned foliage. Their leaves are a similar shape to the common heartleaf philodendron, Philodendron hederaceum, but can reach mammoth proportions up to 5-10 inches (12-25 cm) in length.
Amazingly, the stem of the plant is smaller than its leaves.
While the variegations are amazing, they are different for every leaf and very unpredictable. For example, there are multiple reports of the leaves reverting to all green.
One Facebook user who collects aroids and other tropical plants, reports that when his plant reverted to green he put it in a dark place he doesn’t use. After a while, its variegations all came back.
Flower & Fragrance
Don’t expect your Philodendron Paraiso Verde to flower if you grow it indoors. It might flower outside, but it’s going to take many years before it does.
According to an article on the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden website, a philodendron will take 15-16 years to flower. They don’t mention Paraiso Verde specifically but say visitors to the garden, which is in Richmond, Virginia, can see philodendron flowers in their conservatory.
There is no doubt that all philodendron flowers are similar to one another.
Philodendrons have separate female and male parts on one plant, and they rely on an outside pollinator to reproduce. In the tropics, this is usually a scarab beetle. Where they are grown outside of their natural habitat, philodendron plants need human help for pollination.
They are weird-looking flowers that consist of a white spadix surrounded by a green, cape-like spathe. Typically, the bloom measures 12 inches from its tip to the stem.
Again, according to the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden website, the fragrance of these flowers is strongest at night. This is because it creates heat to attract pollinators at night.
Size
They don’t grow very big when grown as indoor plants. On average, up to about 1 foot (30 cm) tall, but known to grow 1,6 feet (50 cm). The bigger it gets, the more support it’s going to need, bearing in mind that it relies on other trees for support in its natural environment.
Outdoors or in a very large container on a patio or deck, it can grow as much as 10 feet (3 m) in a single season.
Philodendron Paraiso Verde Care and Needs
These philodendron plants are very easy to care for, as long as you pay attention to their basic needs. They are also surprisingly easy to propagate.
Three important rules to remember are that they need:
- Water but shouldn’t become waterlogged
- Light but not direct sunlight
- Humidity
Soil
Philodendron Paraiso Verde likes light, well-aerated soil that drains well but stays reasonably moist. If you are potting or repotting your philodendron plants, choose a good-quality organic potting soil.
Mix it about 50:50 with vermiculite or perlite to ensure it drains well. At the same time, you can include some peat moss to help keep the soil moist.
If you have a test kit to check pH levels, maintain a level of 5.0-6.0, which is slightly acidic.
Water
Philodendron Paraiso Verde appreciates being watered regularly but you need to take care not to overwater your plants. As mentioned above, it does well in slightly moist soil.
Don’t water unless at least the top half of the potting soil in the container is dry. Water deeply into the soil without wetting the leaves. You can, though, mist the leaves regularly, especially if your weather conditions aren’t very humid.
If you overwater your philodendron plants, root rot is a real danger. If you water the leaves and not just the soil, a bacterial fungus can form on the leaves.
Under-watering may result in the tips of the leaves turning brown. They may also start to curl.
Light
The natural environment of philodendron plants is humid and shady. They do, though, like bright indirect, even low light.
Avoid placing pots in direct sunlight. A common side effect of intense sunlight is that the plant loses its variegations.
Temperature & Humidity
These philodendron plants grow in a natural environment where the temperatures range from about 68-80 °F (20-27 °C). Typically, humidity levels are around 60-75%. Ideally, try to mimic these conditions.
If you struggle with low humidity, an inexpensive plant humidifier may be a good option. If you use it in conjunction with a humidity meter you will be able to adjust the humidity to meet the needs of your plants.
Fertilizer
They don’t need much fertilizer but will benefit from feeding monthly in spring and summer. They don’t need any extra food in the cooler months.
The best fertilizer to use is one with a balanced ratio of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). Just remember that too much fertilizer can result in the leaves of the plant curling.
Maintenance
Presuming your plants get the water, light, and humidity they need, there’s not much else to do in terms of plant care.
Generally, the pot your Philodendron Paraiso Verde grows in will determine its size. When the roots fill the pot, you can split it or repot in a larger container.
If the plant gets out of hand, you can prune it. Otherwise, all you need to do is tidy it from time to time.
Pruning it by cutting just above leaf nodes will encourage the plant to grow new leaves. It will also get bushier.
Repotting
The best time to repot philodendron plants is in early spring, at the beginning of the growing season. It’s not essential, but they do tend to adapt more quickly.
Choose a new container that is a little bigger than the one your plant is growing in. It should be about 2 inches bigger in diameter and must have decent drainage holes.
Put a little soil in the pot to form an indented saucer shape. Place the plant in the hollow and fill around it with your potting soil mix.
Push the soil down firmly to the same depth the main stem was in the previous pot. Water well.
Tip: It’s a good idea to place your pot, big or small, on some kind of tray or larger base so the excess water can drain out of the pot.
Propagation
Propagating Philodendron Paraiso Verde is super-easy. Take stem cuttings by slicing just below leaf nodes. You only need to have one or maybe two leaves on each cutting.
You can stick it straight into the same type of potting soil as the parent plant, or put it in water until it starts to root. If you put it in plant potting soil, you can dip the tip of the stems into a little rooting hormone to speed up the process.
Either way, it should only take a couple of weeks for the cutting to start growing its own roots. As the plant grows, make sure it gets enough indirect light, humidity, and water.
Philodendron Paraiso Verde Pests and Diseases
The usual bugs that attack other plants in the Araceae family will attack Paraiso Verde if they get a chance. They include aphids, mealybugs, scale, and spider mites.
But the healthier your philodendron plants are, the thicker the waxy cuticle covering the leaves will be. And this provides protection from pests, especially those that suck the sap from leaves.
If you can catch bugs before they spread, you can usually remove them by hand using a cloth and soapy water. A regular wipe down with neem oil also works wonders.
Most other problems relate to under-or over-watering of the plants.
Where should I place my Philodendron Paraiso Verde?
Find a spot where your philodendron will get lots of bright, indirect light. It might look great on a windowsill, but they don’t like drafts, so that might not work.
Remember that your Philodendron Paraiso Verde is a tropical plant, and like all philodendron plants, it will thrive in a humid environment. For this reason, a bathroom or kitchen may be a good place to position it.
Conclusion
If you like tropical plants, especially aroids, Philodendron Paraiso Verde is a fabulous choice. Rare, and quite expensive, it is easy to care for indoors and outdoors if it is the right environment.