houseplant
Want to know how to keep your Philodendron Birkin looking its secure ? These plants have become quite popular , which means you ’ll want to understand a bit more about the plant life before welcome one into your home . cover history , care needs , circulate and coarse problems , horticulture and houseplant expert Madison Moulton discusses everything you need to bed about these wonderful indoor plant life .
Contents
Variegated houseplants havetaken over societal media feedsacross the world . Far from the beginner - friendly or low - maintenance plants houseplant owner set out with , the rarified and unusual are the raw must - have .
When it come to Philodendrons , it does n’t get more strange than thePhilodendron Birkin . A relatively young cultivar and the sport of Rojo Congo , this works has fascinating pinstripe diversification that has made houseplant collectors swoon .
With some supernumerary care taken to put up the right lighting and manage moisture levels , these plants arequite easy to give care for too . With this guide , we ’ve got you and your new Birkin wholly covered .
Philodendron Birkin Plant Overview
What is a Philodendron Birkin?
Philodendron Birkin is a comparatively unexampled and interesting member of the Philodendron family . Itsvariegated leaves and captivating colorhave made it popular across societal media as one of the most sought - after Philodendron type , alongside its cousinsPhilodendron Pink Princessand Philodendron Rio .
philodendron are the secondly largest genus of theAraceaefamily , with many member beloved among houseplant lover . The name Philodendron come from the Greek words for‘love ’ and ‘ tree’,describing their growth drug abuse in tropical jungle habitat .
This member of the Arum family is tight related to other popular houseplant like Anthuriums andPeace Lilies . They also look quite similar to another member of the home – Aglaonemas . Despite their similarities in looks , these plants hail from altogether different genera .
Plant History
Like many other variegated houseplants , Philodendron Birkin is not found in the wild . This interesting cultivar actually mutated from another popular Philodendron , Rojo Congo .
Although it is a rarified phenomenon , some plants are known to develop jail cell mutation with successive generations of propagation .
In the case of Birkin , a Rojo Conjo plant developed a inherited genetic mutation eff aschimeric mutation . Thismutation left some industrial plant jail cell ineffective to synthesize chlorophyll , resulting in the diversification patterns we see on the leaves .
Most plant mutant are impermanent , fading out after a contemporaries or two of distribute . However , the Birkin mutation was found to be relatively stable through successive generations . It was given the name Birkin and introduced to the market to become a societal media sensation .
Birkin is a chromosomal mutation of Philodendron Rojo Congo , which is itself a combination of Philodendron Imperial Red and Philodendron Tatei . That meansyou wo n’t ever find a Birkin in the state of nature , even in the tropic geographical zone these plants are known to love .
But , even though they are laboratory - turn and procreate by tissue polish , they still retain the environmental characteristics of the genus .
Philodendrons are aboriginal to tropical forests of the Americas , mostlydistributed throughout South and Central America . They are often found grow nearby or along tree tree trunk , hence their genus name ‘ tree - lover ’ .
Thanks to their rain forest habitats , they lovewarm temperature and high humidness – conditions we are used to indoors . Most tropic plants , let in those of the Philodendron species , make great houseplants as they take account the same conditions we humans do .
Philodendron Birkin has a very similar leaf shape to the Rojo Congo , but a altogether unlike color . They are favour for theirbright white diversification , seem in a pinstripe pattern on some leaves . Other leaf have little to no variegation , defecate each one slightly unlike .
These plants do have a trend to revert under sure experimental condition . Some leafage may fall behind their variegation and take on the same purple chromaticity as the parent plant .
Although this may be unwelcome to those who want to retain the variegation patterns , it does make for an interesting look , unlike any other houseplant . Far from returning to a plain green , its imperial colors make it even more unique .
Due to the higher levels of diversification , this plant is aslow grower . They can often exist for years on end in the same pot , never outgrowing its boundary . The long leaves can reach up to 8 inches long to the pointed tips but do so slowly , with the diversification intensifying as the leafage get on .
In the right conditions , these plants can reach aheight of three feet , but will commonly baffle to around half that height or shorter inlow lighting term .
Like other Philodendrons , Birkin leaves check a compound know ascalcium oxalate . Due to their crystal structure , these salts are fabulously sharp and do a stack of legal injury when ingested . Keep your Birkin aside from all pets and tiddler to debar any accidents or trips to the emergency brake room .
Buying A Philodendron Birkin
Philodendron Birkin is still labeled as a rare plant , but it isfar easy to find than it was a few years ago . As they have become more common , their price has also dropped to a more sane rate than when they were first sold . produce by Costa Farms , you should find Birkin easily at a local baby’s room or any chain store the company supply . Probably not as easy whencompared to a Epipremnum aureum , but reasonably close .
Your good bet is to purchase from anonline store . Unlike its first cousin , Pink Princess Philodendron , Birkin is not sell out as often and can usually be buy from on-line retailer without hassle . see you buy from a reputable ship’s company , as houseplants can take a mountain of harm during the transporting process and need to be ship correctly to ascertain they stay goodish after purchase .
Many Birkins are usable ononline marketplacestoo , such as Etsy . Here , you could be smaller plants for a reasonable cost , or opt for more fledged and established type with high storey of diversification . Although they come at a higher price , they also have a high chance of survival after shipping .
They are also relativelyeasy to propagate . If you ca n’t find a Birkin near you , ask a friend who has managed to get their manpower on one for a press cutting . The variegation in the new plant may be unpredictable , but it is an well-off and whole free way to incur your own Birkin plant .
How to Grow
Once you ’ve purchased your Birkin , it wo n’t be difficult to keep it expect ripe . While they can be moody at times , Philodendron Birkins are broadly speaking easy to care for , needing like caution and conditions to many other houseplants .
Light
These large leafy plant are fans ofbright collateral illumination . Like many other foliage houseplants , they can not plow direct light , but do n’t appreciate low-spirited lighting situations either .
When set in low igniter , they may not show any signs of battle for a few 24-hour interval or even weeks . However , over clip , the plant will face up stress due to alack of energyand therefore , photosynthesis . Photosynthesis is the process that allows the industrial plant to make its own food for survival . Without it , the works will ultimately die out .
modest light has an even greater effect on Birkins due to the gamey levels of variegation . As observe , this semblance alteration is due to a transmissible mutation that leaves variegate field without any chlorophyl . Less photosynthesis demand lieu , meaning they need more light to feed themselves and extend produce .
If the promiscuous storey are too low , your Birkin will begin to lose its variegationas the pinstripes slow turn immature again . The stems may also stretch toward the nearest light seed , micturate your flora leggy and unbalanced .
The best position is in front of an eastern United States - facing window with bright collateral luminousness for most of the day . If your windowsill receives direct Lord’s Day , especially during twelve noon or the good afternoon when the light is more intense , cover the window with a plain curtainto dribble it .
Water
Birkins are devotee of moisture thanks to their rainforest home ground . However , they do n’t like soggy or waterlogged soil that rots the ascendent and stem either . A hunky-dory balanceis ask to keep them satisfied without overdoing it .
When your Philodendron is underwatered , the relatively slight leaves willbegin to wiltand keel over due to a deficiency of pee in the mobile phone . As the cell are made up mostly of urine , a lack of it leaves them unable to maintain the plant ’s structure .
The foliage may also start to brown at the tips , with the job increasing the longer the plant is left underwatered .
Overwateringis also a immense risk . When your Birkin is left to sit in to a fault moist filth for long periods , the roots miss oxygen and set out to rot . When the end are damaged , the pee and nutrient transport system are subdue , leaving the bow and leaves without any water .
In stern cause of source rot , the leaves will begin to yellow and may even pass off the plant as it attempts to conserve resources . The stem at the grime line will becomemushytoo , unable to hold the industrial plant up .
Needless to say , watering aright is therefore incredibly importantfor the health of your plants . In little hatful , water supply when the top inch of soil has dried out to maintain the correct balance . In great sens that make more soil , two to three column inch is preferred .
screen the soil with your fingerevery few day to determine the correct time to water . It ’s best to avoid watering on a schedule as condition can change twenty-four hour period by day , speedily leading to under or overwatering .
Soil
Houseplants , due to their indoor conditions and residence in container , require specialized soil . Houseplant soil mixes are designed to drain well enough to forbid radical hogwash , stay dampish enough to keep the plants happy , and deliver enough oxygen to the root to forefend suffocation .
you may purchase asoil mix design for houseplantsfrom your local baby’s room or online . These mixes have the proper ratios for most houseplant , including your Philodendron Birkin . Some even come with fertilizer mixed in to give your plants a maturation boost in the right-hand season .
If you have a lot of houseplant and need to repot often , it is far cheap to purchase the materials for a land mixing andmake it yourselfthan to buy pre - mixed every time . It also allows you to tailor the mix to your plant ’s specific needs and to the environmental shape in your home .
The idealistic filth admixture for a Philodendron Birkin is a combination ofpotting dirt , perlite , and coconut coir or peat moss .
The perlite – small white stone of exposit volcanic glassful – increases the space between soil mote to improve drainage and secure the roots have enough oxygen . Coconut coir or peat moss hold plenty of moisture but are n’t heavy , lightening the intermixture and the weight of the container at the same fourth dimension .
Combine two parts potting soil with one part perlite and one part coconut coir or peat moss for planting or repotting . Add more or less of each material as require , depend on the sizing of the plant and the conditions it is kept in .
Temperature and Humidity
Hailing from tropical woods of the Americas , most Philodendrons apprise the same temperature and humidity horizontal surface . They likewarm environment and gamey humidityto match their native habitats .
General indoor temperature are worthy for your Philodendron Birkin , between65F and 80F. Higher temperature can lower the moisture spirit level in the soil and leave , leave in heating plant and water stress . low-pitched temperatures below 50F can damage the foliage tissue paper and cause the plant life to barricade growing .
As a world-wide rule , if you ’re well-off indoors , your Birkin should be too .
They areslightly fussier about humiditydue to their honey of moisture in both the land and the air . In rainforest environments , humidness is typically around 75 % in the dry seasons and up to 90 % in the showery seasons .
They should be glad in humidity above 50 % , but will prize rooms with humidity between60 % and 70%for optimum growth .
There are a few way to increase humidity indoors if you may not reach that level . Committed plant parents canmisttheir Birkin several times a day , but this will only better condition for a few minutes and can lead to the evolution of disease . Placing your works on atray filled with pebblesis also recommended often , but only improves consideration marginally .
To truly meliorate conditions , use ahumidifier or place several houseplants around your Birkin . Humidifiers admit you cracking control over the stage in the particular way and reproduce the rain forest conditions these industrial plant love .
give them admirer nearby also increases the humidness in the area , but they should n’t be placed too close together at the risk of exposure of the proliferation of pests and diseases .
Fertilizing
As these plants are dull agriculturist , they do n’t habituate up nutrients in the soil quickly . However , they will get used up at some point , postulate a top - up from you in the form of fertilizers .
After a year or so of growth , during which the plants will be happy with the fertilizer in the dirt from the agriculturalist , you canfertilize in outpouring and summertime .
How often you fertilize will depend on your choice of fertiliser . Liquid houseplant fertilizersare easy absorbed by the roots but quickly lave away from the grime , meaning you will demand to fertilize more often . Slow - dismission fertilizersare designed to break down over prison term but do n’t give you much control over the release of those nutrient .
When using a liquid fertilizer , apply a half - strengthamount once per month . This will stop the build - up of food and table salt in the soil due to the plant ’s slow increment while prevent the flushing of the soil whole with frequent watering .
Slow - release fertilizers descend in pellets or sticks that are mixed into the top bed of soil or buried . It ’s importantnot to utilise more than is recommendedon the packaging as overfertilizing can incinerate the roots and leaves . They should only be lend oneself once per year in spring to last the entire develop season .
Maintenance
universal houseplant maintenance will keep your Philodendron Birkin looking as good as the twenty-four hours you bought it .
As the leaves are large and matt , they can easilycollect dust and debrisfrom our homes . As there is no rain to lap this dust off ( like there is outdoors ) , thisdust is left to handicap photosynthesis and gas exchange , slowing growth .
Every calendar month or two , seize a damp fabric and gentlywipe down the leave . Be careful when wipe raw leaves as they tend to be more vulnerable to breaking and damage than older ones .
Propagation
To copy their stunning variegation patterns , Philodendron Birkins are well propagated by stem cutting . bow cut are easy to settle down in urine or in soil to produce a brand new plant at dead no cost . If you want to get technical and limit shock , you could also try aura layering .
Before form any cuts , always go with a clean pair of shears or a sharp knife . When it come to larger Birkins , a knife is the promiscuous fashion to make a clean cut without wounding the plant excessively . check that your knife is disinfectedbefore you start to avoid propagate any diseases .
select a good for you stem to cut . The semblance and texture of the stem are a good indicator of its wellness , but you could also take a spirit at the size and color of the leaves to give you a just thought . Healthy stems are more likely to produce rootsand grow into healthy plants .
Stems with airy etymon are also prefer . You should notice a few aerial beginning raise around the floor of the plant life , point which staunch are the best to opt .
Remove that stem with your knife below the lymph gland ( the decimal point where the root emerge from).Cut the stem at an angleto increase the airfoil area and foreclose the base from sitting flush with the glass when rooting in piss .
If there are any small new leave growing from the base of the stem , hit those beforepopping the cutting in a tall glass of water system . strain or distilled is preferred as the chemicals in tap piss can conquer growth .
exchange or top up the water system every few days to keep it light and replenish O . After the tooth root have grown one or two inches long , usually within a few calendar week , graft the cuttinginto a potentiometer filled with soil admixture .
atmosphere layering is a slightly more complicated multiplication method acting , but it does trammel stress to your works , make unnecessary the parent and the cutting at the same time .
Again , jump by choosing a levelheaded stem . With your sharp , disinfected tongue , make a 2 - inch - long cut vertically along the fore and localise a toothpick indoors to keep it undetermined .
pile up some pre - moistened coconut coir or peat moss andwrap it tightly around the stem . This will keep the area moist and upgrade source maturation . enwrap the coir or moss in shaping wrap to hold it in topographic point and retain moisture .
After a few calendar week , you should see root emerging from the peat moss , show it is time to transpose . Remove the cutting below the root growthwith a sharp knife and plant it into a new pot with bracing potting territory .
body of water like a shot after potting to promote Modern theme growth and to ground the cutting in place .
Repotting
These slow - growing industrial plant wo n’t require repotting often . Many proprietor keep them in the same pots for several years without any fuss .
However , even if they do n’t outgrow their pots , the plants will expect a soil refresh after a few years . Soil degrades over time , holding on to less water and food . As it breaks down , it does n’t provide an ideal surround for new rootage growth and can cause the full plant life to fall over as it loses its anchoring ability .
It ’s best to repot your Birkinevery three eld , or sooner if you notice roots glint through the drain holes .
Common Problems
Philodendron Birkin is not a unmanageable plant to worry for . But , that does not mean it is not without problems . From yellowing leaves to lack of variegation , these vulgar problems each have prompt fixes to get your Birkin back to good wellness .
yellow leave have many movement but are most commonly a sign ofoverwatering . Although these plants love moisture , too much is not always a proficient affair . go out the grunge to dry out slightly for a few day and adjust your tearing clip . Repot if you suspect a severe case of root rot .
Yellow leave-taking are also induce bynutrient imbalances . You should jazz whether over - fertilizing or under - fertilizing is more probably free-base on your care number . Either add fertilise or flush the grunge and stop fertilizing and the leaves should return to normal .
Brown folio tips are the result of underwatering or alack of humidity . Due to their kinship for wet , this problem is quite vulgar . Water on a regular basis to keep the land moist and wield a humidity above 50 % .
While the brown will never return to normal , fixing the issue does set the spread of the damage .
wanderer mite , mealybugs and fungus gnatsare common houseplant pests that affect Birkins . They bung on leaf tissue and plant sap or lay egg on the leaves and filth that diffuse more bugs to the rest of your plants .
Remove them with an program of neem oil to gag the bugs and prevent any eggs from hatch . For fungus gnats , add sticky trap to the dirt .
Good sunshine is essential to preserve your Birkins seek - after diversification . If the leaves begin to turn substantial immature , move the plant life to a spot with shiny indirect lightand the variegation may riposte .
Do n’t place them in lineal sunshine or the leave-taking will burn and develop brown patches .
Frequently Asked Questions
Philodendron Birkincontains atomic number 20 oxalate crystalswhich are toxic to humans and creature when have . Keep this and all other Philodendrons off from your deary .
The pinstripe variegation is due to a genetic mutation in the cells . These genetic mutation arrest the cells from synthesize chlorophyl which typically reach leaves their green color . They areknown as chimerasdue to the existence of two genetically distinct cells right next to each other , resulting in the white-hot and unripe contrast .
Variegation can change accord to the light level this plant receive . Keep them in a spot withbright collateral lightand they should keep their color . Avoid any areas with moderate to depleted light levels – especially room with no windows .
Young Birkin leaves can start out a burnished white color , developing more green as the leaf matures . The brightness level of the diversification is a quick way to determine the age of a leafage .
Final Thoughts
There is so much to hump about this Philodendron cultivar . While it ’s not the cheapestvariety of Philodendron , there are many enthusiasts that would debate that it ’s one of the most beautiful . From Hellenic - looking variegation to broad leaves that fill out recess , Birkin isbound to become your favorite houseplant .
