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In this beginner guide of how to grow a Philodendron White Knight you will learn about this popular plant which has become a coveted houseplant for plant lovers, including;
- Is philodendron white knight rare?
- How to care for a Philodendron White Knight?
- How do you keep the variegation?
- How to propagate a White Knight?.
- Common pests and diseases of the Philodendron ?,
- And a few Frequently asked questions.
philodendron White Knight Care at a Glance
Common name: White Knight
Scientific name: Philodendron ‘White Knight’
Soil: Well-draining soil rich in organic matter
Light: Bright indirect or morning sun
Water: Enough to keep the soil lightly moist
Food: Flowering houseplant food
Temperature and humidity: Standard household and high humidity
Propagation: Stem Cutting and Division
Safety: Toxic if consumed by pets or people
Is philodendron white knight rare?
White Knight is a very rare variegated philodendron that is easy to cultivate but takes a long time to mature but is well worth the wait. The stems are unusually purple brown and cream colored, and the leaves are splashed with color. The slow growth is due to the fact that the nodes are barely half an inch apart, giving the foliage a much more compact appearance. This plant has a lot of potential.
White Knight Philodendron is a South American plant that belongs to the Araceae family. This plant features luxuriant green foliage that is flecked and marbled with white variegation.
Philodendron White Knight are expensive but also still a type of philodendron which are incredibly easy to grow. Philodendrons made our list of the 20 Best Indoor Plants You Can’t Kill.
Why is the Philodendron White Knight so expensive?
The Philodendron White Knight is expensive.
For the past 15 years, this plant has remained largely unknown, until it gained notoriety as a result of numerous Instagram postings and flashy reels highlighting its unusual characteristics.
This is because growers cannot totally guarantee their philodendrons will turn out white enough to actually sell as a Philodendron White Knight, even if the mother plant is already heavily variegated with white.
Unfortunately, many of them end up being disposed of because of too much variegation which is also a bad thing.
The white parts of the plant do not photosynthesis solar energy to produce chlorophyll for the plant like the green parts of the leaves. Chlorophyll is the fuel for the plant.
Too much variegation or albino growth can look really cool, BUT, this type of growth cannot gather solar energy and will eventually die back. If all the new growth becomes albino, the plant will not survive.
Cultivators have struggled to maintain this plant in stock since then, which is why a cutting with two or more leaves can cost upwards of $100.
How to care for a Philodendron White Knight
These tropical Aroids are simple to grow. Simply follow the specified instructions, and they will flourish without requiring much effort on your part.
Soil
Philodendron White Knight thrives on a moist, well-drained soil rich in organic matter such as peat moss and compost.
You might want to inquire about the definition of well-drained soil: A soil type that is well-drained allows water to flow in and out at a moderate rate.
When a plant’s soil is saturated with too much water, the plant’s oxygen absorption from the soil is reduced, which can lead to death.
If you want a nice result, you shouldn’t utilize garden soil for your indoor planting.
Garden soil may include disease organisms, weed seeds, and is not always well-drained. However, you might use a well-draining high-quality potting soil. Philodendrons require good drainage in order to thrive.
However, an ordinary potting mix will not suffice. You should include some other ingredients.
I recommend using about 30 to 50 percent potting mix and then adding perlite and orchid bark to the balance of the soil.
Water
White Knight Plant is a water-loving species of philodendron. Use a reasonable amount of water when watering your plants. You must keep the soil of the plant moist at all times.
Excessive watering should be avoided at all costs to keep the plant alive.
The rate of oxygen intake by the plate from the soil is reduced when the plant’s soil is heavily moist or saturated with water. It could cause the plant root, which is the most important and vital portion of the plant, to decay. The plant will be nutrition deficient if the roots are rotten, which will eventually lead to the plant’s death if not properly cared for.
How do you determine when to water your plant and when not to? Feeling the soil texture with your fingertips is a good way to do this. If there is enough moisture in the soil, it will adhere to the fingers, but if there isn’t, it will fall off.
You can put off watering the plant until after this has been completed and it has been confirmed that water moisture is present.
Otherwise, you should water it right away.
Light
To create the nutrients they require, plants rely on the energy provided by sunlight. Individual plants, on the other hand, require different amounts and intensities of sunshine.
Philodendron White Knight grows best in bright indirect light.
It is preferable to have filtered sunlight. Leaves will burn if they are exposed to direct sunlight.
The intensity of the color variation of a Philodendron White Knight’s eaves, which are green and white, contributes to its beauty. If you were to keep this plant in a low light location it would slowly start to lose the beautiful colorings.
It loses its color diversity and thus its charm when planted in a shady location for 2 to 3 months.
On the other hand, if the white section of the leaves is exposed to too much direct sunlight.
It soon burns that part of the leaves. As a result, I would recommend bright, indirect sunlight for a philodendron White Knight.
Temperature & Humidity
Philodendron White Knight is a tropical plant that thrives in hot weather.
During the day, aim for temperatures of 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Philodendrons prefer it cooler at night.
However, you must ensure that temperatures do not go below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, as this is detrimental to Philodendrons.
This plant does not endure frost or cold temperatures.
Because Philodendron White Knight is a tropical plant, it should come as no surprise that it prefers a humid climate.
It’s essential to keep the humidity level over 70% for best results.
The plant’s growth rate tends to be slower at lower humidity levels.
During the winter, the atmosphere is dry, meaning there is no water vapor present, implying a low humidity level. Plant development is extremely slow or non-existent throughout the winter.
There are several techniques to maintain a high humidity level at home, as listed below:
- Make use of a humidifier.
- Place your plant (complete with pot!) on a tray filled with damp pebbles.
- Place your plant in the bathroom (assuming it receives enough light!)
- Plants should be grouped together (if you have multiple tropical plants, position them next to each other) to improve humidity.
Fertilizing
Fertilizer is plant food. It aids in the replenishment of lost soil nutrients, supplies essential ingredients for plant growth, and aids in the maintenance of soil fertility.
Fertilizer comes in a variety of forms. We have the following:
- Liquid Fertilizer
- Granular Fertilizer
- Slow-Release fertilizers
How do you know which fertilizer is best for your needs?
As I explain, relax and make yourself a cup of coffee.
Liquid Fertilizer
Water-soluble plant food is another name for this. It’s combined with water before being used to water the plant. Liquid fertilizer promotes the growth of larger flower plants while also providing a simple and effective method of nourishing both the plant and the soil.
Liquid fertilizer gives you a lot of control over the amount you apply and ensures a uniform application. My favorite organic liquid fertilizer that I use on my houseplants is LiquiDirt.
Balanced Super Foods for Plants - Balanced Blend of Vitamins Minerals Micro-Fungi and Bio-Organisms
Liquid fertilizer, on the other hand, is susceptible to volatilization, especially when used on outdoor plants.
Granular Fertilizer
This fertilizer is strewn across the soil. It’s more efficient for pre-plant application and easier to store.
When overfed into the soil, however, it will burn the plant’s leaves off.
Unlike liquid fertilizer, immobile nutrients like iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca) may not be able to reach the plant’s root.
Slow Release Fertilizer
Slow-release fertilizers are available in a variety of forms, including shell, piton, and capsules. It gently releases nutrients into the soil. It’s a resin-coated fertilizer that gradually adds nutrients to the soil by breaking down naturally due to water, sunlight, and soil bacteria.
Because there are fewer spaces to cover, this form of fertilizer works well in small pots. Slow-release compost relieves the stress of adding fertilizer to the soil on a regular basis.
So, what should you feed your Philodendron White Knight in terms of fertilizer? Most houseplants do OK with liquid fertilizer when grown inside as houseplants. This is also true of our White Knight Philodendron.
That being said, get yourself a balanced liquid fertilizer, follow the instructions on the fertilizer, and maybe apply half of what is recommended.
Because it’s always preferable to err on the side of caution when it comes to feeding your plants. Also note that with fertilizer you get what you pay for and that the heavy salts in cheaper fertilizers may harm the plant’s root systems and may even kill it.
Toxicity
All Philodendrons have a lot of calcium oxalate crystals in them. The foliage causes an allergic reaction on the lips, mouth, and esophagus when eaten. Furthermore, they can have serious consequences for animals. As a result, keep children and pets away from these lovely plants.
Potting and Repotting
The time it takes to re-pot a philodendron White Knight isn’t set in stone. Many factors influence the pace of growth of the White Knight philodendron.
Planting two Philodendron White Knight plants on the same day but in different locations exposes them to distinct environmental and planting conditions.
Although one home’s environmental parameters may be more beneficial to plants than another, no two homes can have identical environmental and planting conditions. As a result, each plant in its environment grows at a distinct rate.
How do you determine when your philodendron White Knight needs to be re-potted?
It’s easy to understand. You can tell when it’s time by inspecting the roots of your plants on a regular basis. If the roots appear on the surface of the soil, the pot is no longer large enough to accommodate the developing plant’s roots.
You can then re-pot it into a larger container.
It is not necessary, however, to wait until the roots are visible on the soil’s surface before replacing the pot.
You can tell when it’s time to change the pot by comparing the plant’s size to the pot’s size. The deeper and broader the roots become as the plant becomes larger, the larger the container you’ll require.
Size
When properly cared for, White Knight Philodendron can reach a height of up to 3 metres when completely grown.
The variegated leaves grow slower than other philodendron kinds like “Rojo Congo,” thus it will take a long time to reach this size.
How to propagate a Philodendron White Knight
As part of the pant genre’s survival strategy, most (but not all) Philodendrons are for the most part easy to propagate.
Imagine if an animal breaks a portion of a plant growing and living in the canopy of a tree, another one will start growing from the broken cutting on the forest floor.
Most philodendron species can be propagated rather easily thanks to this survival characteristic.
Propagate the Philodendron White Knight in 8 Easy Steps!
Taking a top stem cutting (not a leaf cutting) from a mature Philodendron White Knight and putting it in a rich, organic potting mix is the easiest approach to reproduce your white knight.
A lot of aerial roots are produced by healthy White Knight. You should cut right below a node with a lot of aerial roots coming out of it.
- Using moist coco coir, perlite, and worm castings, make a tiny pot.
- Choose a healthy section of the main stem with 1-2 nodes with aerial roots from the top of your mature philodendron White Knight.
- Cut the stem just below the node with a clean pair of pruning scissors.
- Dip the freshly cut stem in a rooting hormone powder or solution.
- Plant the stem in your pre-made potting mix, burying the aerial roots 2-3 inches into the soil.
- Fill the rest of the pot with potting mix that has been left over.
- Thoroughly wet the area.
- Place in a warm environment with plenty of bright, indirect light.
Roots can take anything from 3-6 weeks to form, and in some cases even longer.
Lightly tug (and I mean gently) on the base of the stem to see if roots have begun to grow.
You’ve got roots if there’s some resistance.
Growing Zone
The plants can be grown outside in USDA zone 9b-11. However, they are suitable for indoor plantation in a wide range of zones from 4 to 11.
Common diseases & pests
Aphids and mealybugs are the most prevalent pests of the Philodendron White Knight.
While pest control can be difficult at times, most plants can still be rescued with effective pest control.
When it comes to aphids and mealybugs, we have some helpful guidelines that will help you get rid of these bothersome pests!
Read an in-depth guide to houseplant pests here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Should I Place My White Knight Philodendron?
Put your Philodendron White Knight somewhere where it will get plenty of bright, indirect sunshine. This could be in close proximity to a west-facing or east-facing window.
Are White Knight Philodendron Plants Toxic To Dogs?
Philodendron White Knight, like other Philodendron species, are poisonous to dogs. Keep your pets away from this plant!
Are White Knight Philodendron Plants Toxic To Cats?
Philodendron White Knight, like other Philodendron species, are dangerous to cats. Keep your pets away from this plant!
What type of pot should i use for my white knight?
Philodendrons thrive in both terra cotta, ceramic or plastic pots.
Allow enough room for growth and always ensure that your container has a drainage hole.
When the plant’s growth slows due to root entanglement, it’s time to upgrade to a larger pot.
Common Issues with Philodendron White Knight
This section will provide you with some insights as to what might be causing the plant’s physical malformation.
#1- Yellow leaves
Excess wetness, which leads to over-saturation of the plant-soil by water or exposure to too much sunlight, could be the cause of yellow leaves on your Philodendron White Knight. It’s also worth noting that too much sunshine causes leaves to burn.
How do you look after your yellow-leaved White Knight philodendron? It’s easy to understand.
As previously indicated, make sure it’s in a filtered sunlight atmosphere.
Using sanitized scissors, snip off all yellow and burnt leaves.
Alter the plant’s soil. Keep an eye out for decaying roots when changing the plant soil. If there are any, use a sterile pair of scissors to cut them out. Also, make sure the pot has adequate drainage. Only water your Philodendron when the earth is dry, which you can tell by touching the dirt.
#2- Bacterial leaf spot
When the plant leaves are frequently wet, germs can easily infect it. To avoid this, make sure you’re not watering the leaves while they’re wet.
How do you deal with a bacterial leaf spot on your plant?
This is a little more complicated, and it all depends on how diseased your plant is. If there are only two infected leaves, you should clip them off before others become sick. Using a fungicide produces no noticeable results.
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Summary
Philodendron White Knight is a tropical evergreen cultivar from the well-known Aroid family. This creeper can grow to be about 3 meters long if given enough space and a good habitat.
The leaves are round in form and green with white patched and splashed variegation. The stems are likewise distinctively colored, with tones of white and brownish purple. Both indoor and outdoor plantation can be done in pots, containers, hanging baskets, and open ground.
You don’t have to be concerned about growing these. Simply water these low-maintenance plants frequently and expose them to indirect light. Finally, these beautiful plants are poisonous to humans and animals.