White Princess is another variety in the triple crown of white-variegated cultivars of Philodendron erubescens, White Wizard, White Knight, and White Princess, and it’s quite a beauty. Its full name is Philodendron erubescens ‘White Princess,’ and it is one of the most striking Philodendrons that you can find.
Philodendron White Princess is compact and self-heading rather than vining and has narrow, pointed leaves with patches and splashes of brilliant white, similar to White Wizard. The green parts are lighter, though, and the stems are a beautiful mix of white, pink, and green.
Its two cousins which are climbers, White Wizard and White Knight, have different colored stems, the first with green and the other with dark purple stems.
White Princess Philodendron Care
Like White Wizard and White Knight philodendron, White Princess’s genetic heritage is obscure, but it is a cultivar of P. erubescens and has similar basic care requirements as its other two cousins.
Light Requirements
Philodendron erubescens originated in the tropical rainforests of Colombia, South America, where it climbed trees in the dappled light above. And even though White Princess is not a vining plant, it needs the same kind of light – bright indirect sunlight but never direct sun that can burn its delicate leaves.
Temperature
Average household temperatures are perfect for White Princess – between 60 and 85 degrees F. However, they don’t like uneven temperatures and drafts from windows, air conditioner vents, or hot air heaters.
Humidity
Philodendron erubescens and all of its cultivars love high humidity, above 50%, but household humidity is lower and averages 30 to 50%. You can boost the levels around your plant with a humidifier, if you have one, or by setting it on a pebble tray with water, keeping the bottom of the pot above the water line.
Soil & Pot
All Philodendrons need light, well-draining soil. A potting mix specially formulated for succulents is good, or indoor potting soil amended with perlite, coco coir, orchid bark, or peat moss.
Water
How often should you water your White Princess? Its watering needs will fluctuate with the seasons, so testing the soil for dryness is the better option instead of keeping to a schedule.
Fertilizer
New soil will have the highest amount of nutrition, but after a year or two, it will become increasingly depleted. You can replace the soil nutrients that have been absorbed or washed away by giving it a boost with a balanced fertilizer.
Pruning
Your White Princess grows slowly and will not need much pruning since it is self-heading and not a vine. The most you will need to do to keep it in shape is to remove any dead or limp leaves or stems.
Propagation
The best way to propagate White Princess is by stem cuttings or division.
Stem cuttings
If your plant has enough stems for you to take a cutting, snip a stem with clean scissors between the nodes where the leaves meet the stem. You can propagate it in either water, soil, or sphagnum moss.
Division
Division is probably the easiest form of propagation for Philodendron White Princess, and it just involves separating individual plants, which is best done in the spring.
Common Problems
White Princess Philodendron Pests
Spider mites, aphids, mealybugs, and scale are common pests of Philodendron plants.
Diseases
The most common diseases of White Princess are root rot (Rhizoctonia sp.), a fungal infection from overwatering the soil, and bacterial leaf spot (Erwinia spp.) from too much humidity.
Toxicity
Plants in the Arum family (Araceae), including all the varieties of Philodendron, contain calcium oxalate crystals, which are toxic to people and pets if eaten. Keep your whole family safe by setting the plant up and away from curious little hands and paws.
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Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.