Philodendron Sello: description, features of care and reproduction

Philodendron Sello is a very interesting plant with beautiful leaves, which will ideally decorate a large bright room. It also perfectly cleans the air by absorbing toxic substances and destroying harmful microbes.

Philodendron belongs to the genus of evergreen flowering perennials and belongs to the Aroid family. In the wild, these plants are most commonly found in the humid tropical climates of Mexico and America. They grow both in forests and in swampy areas, on river banks, along roads. Philodendrons can climb other plants and trees using their aerial roots. For this they got their name, which is translated from the ancient Greek language as a combination of the words "love" and "tree".

Philodendrons have aerial and underground roots. The former are needed for them to attach to trees and plants, as well as to transport water and nutrients. Leaves of different shades of green are located alternately, are large (up to 2 m) and varied in shape, which at a young age may differ from the shape of the leaves of an adult plant. The inflorescence is a white ear with a thick bicolor blanket.

Philodendron Sello has another name: double-feathery. In nature, he lives in the forest tropics of Bolivia, in the south of Brazil, in the northern part of Argentina. It has a straight, short woody trunk, on which traces of fallen leaves form beautiful patterns. Arrow-shaped leathery leaves, double pinnately dissected up to 90 cm in length. They are green in color with a gray tint and with long petioles. Nowadays, the Sello philodendron is often grown as a showy greenhouse and houseplant.

Philodendron selloum is a not very difficult houseplant to grow. But you should know that he needs large spaces for good growth. In addition, its juice is poisonous, so only cut the plant with gloves and protect children and pets from contact with it. To grow a healthy, beautiful plant, carefully study the rules of care..

The plant loves bright, diffused light. From excess illumination, the leaf plates turn pale. Do not expose the leaves to direct sunlight, otherwise burns are inevitable. With insufficient light, the leaves fade and lose their decorative effect.

Philodendron Sello feels great at a temperature of + 17– + 25 ° С. In winter, the ideal temperature regime is not lower than + 14 °. He needs regular ventilation of the room, but drafts are destructive for this plant.

This representative of the tropics loves high humidity (about 70%). Spray the philodendron daily using a fine spray to keep the leaves streak-free. To increase air humidity, you can place the plant on a tray with moistened pebbles or place an aquarium next to it.

Abundant and frequent watering with soft, settled water at room temperature is recommended. The soil should always be slightly damp. Be sure to drain excess water from the pan so that the roots do not rot.

In the spring-summer period, 2 times a month, it is necessary to apply special fertilizers for plants with decorative foliage.

In the spring, the philodendron is cut below the zone of the upper tier at the aerial roots, leaving a small stem. It is recommended to pinch the shoots above the upper internodes so that the plant does not grow much. Aerial roots can be shortened slightly, but cannot be cut. They should be directed downward and buried.

Actively growing young philodendrons need an annual transplant, adult plants need to be transplanted every few years. You can purchase a special primer for these plants, or mix equal amounts of orchid and peat primer. If you want to prepare the mixture yourself, then take:

• 1 piece of turf;
• 3 pieces of leafy land;
• 1 part sand.

This species is difficult to propagate by cuttings, since it has practically no stem. Therefore, the philodendron Sello "Mexican serpent" is grown from seeds. They can be purchased at specialized stores. Try to grow a philodendron from seeds at home using the following algorithm:

• soak the seeds for a day in a solution with growth stimulants (for example, with potassium humate, HB-101);
• scratch the seeds with a sharp needle to damage their shell;
• in a container with loose earth, previously calcined and spilled with boiling water, put the seeds on the surface;
• lightly sprinkle them with an earthen mixture and sprinkle with a spray bottle;
• cover the top with a transparent bag or glass;
• Place your mini greenhouse in a warm place with good lighting.
• ventilate the greenhouse every day, leaving it open for a few minutes, and moisten the soil so that it does not dry out;
• when the seeds germinate (after about 1.5–2 months), remove the package and continue leaving;
• dive seedlings only when a couple of real leaves appear on the plants.

For information on how to properly care for the Cello philodendron, see the next video.