Philodendron Hastatum Silver Sword Plant

Description

As you may know, plants use their water at different rates throughout the year. Other environmental conditions affect this rate. Always check the soil to avoid overwatering. 

Use a pot with drainage holes. These plants hate having no aeration in their soil or sitting in soaking soil for extended periods. Drainage is essential.

Because my Silver Sword uses water slowly during winter, I prefer to top-water it thoroughly rather than bottom-watering. This way, I can avoid having the soil excessively soaked at the bottom of the pot.

Temperature and Humidity

Philodendron Hastatum requires typical temperatures for tropical plants, ranging between 59-80ºF (15-27ºC).

Regarding humidity, the Silver Sword grows best in humidity of at least 50%.

This plant will grow in regular household humidity of 35%, but you are more likely to see the following issues in low humidity:

• New leaves become stuck or become damaged while unfurling.
• Pests- particularly thrips, but also susceptible to mealybugs and spider mites. Houseplant pests prefer dry environments and tend to get out of hand faster in low humidity.

Therefore, running a humidifier is well worth it!

Soil

Silver Sword Philodendrons prefer that perfect mixture of chunky, aerated soil with some moisture retention elements. They enjoy soil that is both fast-draining and somewhat moist.

These are a couple of excellent soil recipe options for your Silver Sword:

• 50% premium potting mix
• 20% perlite or pumice
• 20% orchid bark
• 10% coco coir

Or

• 30% premium potting mix
• 30% orchid bark
• 30% perlite or pumice
• 10% worm castings

Structural Support

As mentioned in our growth pattern section, you should provide your Silver Sword with support as it grows, such as a trellis at minimum.

To see faster growth and maturity, provide a moss pole or wooden plank for the plant to climb. 

Unfinished wooden planks are best, as the wood is more porous for aerial root attachment. Cedar is usually the best option if you can find it, since it is more rot-resistant than other types of wood.

Common Problems for the Silver Sword

Damaged or deformed new leaves

• Low Humidity: If your leaves get stuck due to low humidity, this may cause damage. Try increasing the humidity to 50% or above.

• Thrips or other pests: A few of our great plant enthusiast friends were seeing all of their new Silver Sword leaves consistently damaged. When they took a closer look, they realized they had thrips! These pests attack new leaves first and are hard to see. Check for other pests as well, such as spider mites. Increase humidity to above 50% to help deter pests, and treat your plant.

Yellow fading or pale leaves

• Harsh light: Pull your Silver Sword back from direct light.

White spots on leaves

• Water stains: Wipe your leaves with a gentle cloth dampened with distilled water to remove hard water stains. Gently dry the leaves.
• Pests: Check for any webbing, leaf damage, or other signs of pests and treat.

Small Leaves

• Lack of adequate light: Provide more bright indirect sunlight, or a grow light.
• Lack of structural support: Leaves will become smaller when the plant does not have adequate support. Provide a trellis, moss pole, or plank.

Yellow leaves

• Overwatering: Check the soil and prepare to pull back on watering. Allow your plant’s soil to get dryer between waterings.
• Loss of an old leaf: It is normal for old leaves to die occasionally.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Silver Sword

Is the Philodendron Hastatum a slow or fast grower?

The Silver Sword is considered a fast grower. Growth may be slower in low light or low humidity. Otherwise, this plant grows fairly quickly.

How long does it take for the leaves to mature on the Silver Sword?

This typically takes 8 months, but the time may be shortened if your plant is given a sturdy structure to climb and good lighting.

Are there two different types/forms of Philodendron Hastatum?

In the early days of collecting this plant, it was pretty rare. Therefore, not many people had the experience of growing it into maturity.

While this plant undergoes a dramatic change in appearance from juvenile to mature form, the scientific community confirms this is the same plant.

Is the Philodendron Silver Sword an expensive plant?

This plant is no longer costly since it is easy to propagate & has become more available.

While it is not common to see it in many places, the Silver Sword is no longer “rare” in the houseplant community. That is too much if you’re being asked to pay over 40 USD for just a cutting. You can typically find a decent-sized juvenile Silver Sword (approximately 1.5 feet tall) for nearly the same amount in US plant nurseries.

Takeaway

The Philodendron Hastatum is an exciting and rewarding plant to grow in our homes. Since its leaves change shape and its aerial roots attach to the support it climbs, you could say there is never a dull moment with this plant!

If you get a Silver Sword, you’ll surely enjoy watching it grow and change with time. These beautiful Philodendrons have finally been in our homes long enough that we have come to know them and how they grow best. If you just got one, congratulations! If you’re still looking, we hope you find a Silver Sword soon!