If you’ve been lucky enough to be able to get your hands on this very rare variety known as the Philodendron Dark Lord, then you’re going to have to know how to care for this plant as well.
As you may already know, this plant gets it’s name due to the nature of it’s leaves changing colors from bright red and quickly turning a much darker shade in no time.
So now that you know just a little bit about this rare plant, let’s waste no time and get right into how to care for your Philodendron Dark Lord.
Light requirements
One of the most important things to do for this plant is to provide the right amount of light and intensity so that it can grow healthy and maintain it’s unique appearance.
So for your Dark Lord variation, you should give this plant a good amount of bright but indirect light on a consistent basis.
By bright and indirect light, this can also be called partial shade or a number of names.
Basically it will be filtered light and not direct sunlight as this can scorch the leaves or cause discoloration at worst.
If you decide to grow indoors then make sure if you’re using a window that your plant is at least a foot away to prevent direct sun from reaching the foliage.
If you’re planning on growing outdoors then you can just place your Philodendron underneath a tree or really anywhere that can get sunlight with a respectable amount of shade.
So in short, this plant needs partial shade and not much direct light to grow quite well.
How to water
Watering Philodendron Dark Lord is actually quite a simple task.
You want this plants soil to drain well but also keep slight moisture retention at the same time.
So to do this you will need to make sure you are using soil that drains well but can keep that slight moisture retention.
You can use 1 part peat moss and 1 part Perlite to get this job done.
You could also use 1/3 regular potting mix, 1/3 peat and 1/3 perlite and go from there by adding or removing materials as you see fit.
So once you have your soil in order then the watering part is very easy.
Just water this Philodendron fully each time when the top inch of soil has completely dried out.
How do you know when this has happened?
Just use your finger and dig about and inch or so into the soil and if it feels moist then wait but if the soil is completely dry up there then it’s time to water and water fully until water drains out of the container.
Due to changes in temperature and humidity this process timeline can vary so that is why you want to test the soil yourself.
You really don’t want to overwater this plant or have soggy soil as that can certainly cause root rot.
So just follow those tips and watering will be very easy for you.
Temperature and humidity
Philodendrons are tropical native plants so they are naturally used to high temperatures and high humidity.
This doesn’t change just because you’re growing inside a home or outdoors in a non tropical environment so you need to sort of mimic it’s natural habitat.
To do this you should be growing your Philodendron Dark Lord in temperatures no less than 60 degrees Fahrenheit and up to the high 80’s range give or take.
This makes indoor growing year round perfect for your Dark Lord.
Just be sure to keep this plant away from air vents or anywhere that cool drafts can happen to prevent issues.
Also when it comes to humidity, this plant likes to have more so then less.
To increase local humidity for your Philodendron, you can group plants together, have a pebble tray filled with water next to the plant or you can just use a humidifier if you have one on hand.
Pruning
Philodendrons don’t really require pruning unless there has been damage to the foliage or if there have been a pest invasion.
With that said, Philodendrons can grow really large over time and pruning is really the only way to keep this plant compact if that is your plan.
Regular pruning can be done without affecting your plant very much and is a great way to keep the plant small enough to grow in containers.
Just bare in mind that if you do decide to prune this plant that you wear gloves since the plant is toxic to humans and animals.
Fertilizing
Although not really needed, your Philodendron can benefit from receiving some fertilizer here and there.
If you decide to fertilize just be sure to only use 1/4 strength of the normal amount as houseplants don’t require all that much.
Once a month during the spring and summer will be just fine but definitely cut back towards the winter and eventually altogether during the winter.
Too much fertilizer at once or over long periods of time can cause fertilizer burn which is caused by an excess buildup of salts in the soil and the soil will then need to be flushed or completely replaced if that were to occur.
So it’s better to stay on the safe side and only use small amounts of fertilizer when doing so.
Propagation
One of the easiest ways to propagate a Philodendron Dark Lord will be done by stem cuttings.
During the spring or summer when you have a mature Philodendron you can start by doing the following.
First select a healthy stem and have some clean gardening shears on hand.
Next cut the stem away from the plant which should be around 4 inches long or so and cut just beneath a leaf node for best results.
Now make sure you have a new container with fresh soil ready to go.
Place the stem cutting a few inches deep into the fresh soil and wet the soil.
It will take a few weeks for the stem to grow a series of roots so be patient.
After at least a few weeks have passed you can lightly pull the stem and if there is any resistance then you have now successfully propagated your Philodendron Dark Lord.
That’s really all there is to it and you can slowly start normal care for this plant like mentioned above.
Do I need a moss pole?
While having a moss pole is optional, it can be a great way to get your Dark Lord to climb in a fairly controlled manner if that is part of your plan for this plant.