yellow leaves on Philodendron Erubescens
Quick answer
If your Philodendron Erubescens has yellow leaves, the most likely cause is: In the philodendrons covered in the foliage houseplants chapter of Pleasant's Complete Houseplant Survival Manual — a list that explicitly names Philodendron erubescens as the blushing or climbing philodendron — older leaves on the plant turn yellow as part of the documented troubleshooting pattern, while the same block also flags stems becoming long and leggy with several inches between leaves as the companion symptom that shows the plant is not receiving enough light to keep its growth compact.
Start here:
- 1. Move the blushing philodendron into a brighter room with bright indirect light, because the book lists insufficient light as the cause of older leaves yellowing and stems stretching several inches between leaves for the four philodendrons it profiles, including P. erubescens.
- 2. Rotate the pot a quarter turn each week so all sides of the climbing stem face the light source and the canopy fills in evenly instead of leaning toward one window.
Why Philodendron Erubescens gets yellow leaves
philodendron erubescens
In the philodendrons covered in the foliage houseplants chapter of Pleasant's Complete Houseplant Survival Manual — a list that explicitly names Philodendron erubescens as the blushing or climbing philodendron — older leaves on the plant turn yellow as part of the documented troubleshooting pattern, while the same block also flags stems becoming long and leggy with several inches between leaves as the companion symptom that shows the plant is not receiving enough light to keep its growth compact.
How to reverse yellow leaves on Philodendron Erubescens
- 1
Move the blushing philodendron into a brighter room with bright indirect light, because the book lists insufficient light as the cause of older leaves yellowing and stems stretching several inches between leaves for the four philodendrons it profiles, including P. erubescens.
- 2
Rotate the pot a quarter turn each week so all sides of the climbing stem face the light source and the canopy fills in evenly instead of leaning toward one window.
- 3
Pinch back the leggy stem just above a node to encourage a side branch closer to the base, since the chapter notes that blushing philodendron sheds leaves on a bare lower stem and propagates best by air layering once it reaches 4 ft/1.2 m tall.
Keep yellow leaves off this Philodendron Erubescens
Keep the blushing philodendron in a warm, brightly lit room with bright indirect light year-round; provide a moss-covered support pole that is misted regularly so aerial roots stay active and the plant does not stretch toward a distant light source; feed every two weeks in spring and summer with a high-nitrogen foliage fertilizer that includes micronutrients so the plant has the energy to maintain a full canopy of dark green heart-shaped leaves on its reddish stems.