Philodendrons are at home in the tropical rainforest where they climb up trees, and thrive in the dappled sunlight of the under-story. This is quite a diverse group of plants, with both upright forms of the plant, and climbing / trailing types. The trailing types of Philodendron are most popular as indoor plants, with the colourful leaves being the main feature. A lot of the upright types of Philodendron can be used outdoors in a temperate to warm climate. Used in a shady spot, they can add a charm and tropical feel to garden positions where other plants may not do the job.
I have photographed two types of Philodendron here. One is Philodendron selloum, which is an upright plant with very large leaves - more than a metre long. This is a very hardy plant as long as it gets regular water and is kept out of the full sun. It is Native to South America. The next philodendron here, is the Philodendron "Xanadu". This is a dwarf hybrid variety of Philodendron, and can be used as a houseplant or also outdoors in a shady spot. Philodendrons have few pests or diseases, but care must be taken as the plants are poisonous when eaten.
