Silver Sword Philodendron
Sources last read 14 September 2026.
Not yet rated How forgiving it is has not been judged here yet.
Silver Sword Philodendron is toxic
- Not assessed for cats. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Not assessed for dogs. This plant is not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety: none of the sources read for this site gives an answer either way. Treat it as unknown.
- Toxic to people. Harmful when eaten; irritates skin and eyes and can cause allergy. Use gloves and protective gear when handling it. RHS
What the sources say about its care
- Light
- Partial shadeRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Water
- Well-drainedRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Humidity
No source read publishes a humidity figure for any plant on this site. What follows is general guidance for foliage plants.
ASHRAE recommends indoor relative humidity between 30% and 60% 30–60%Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026- Temperature
How cold this tolerates, not what it prefers. No source read for this site publishes a preferred range for a plant indoors.
H1B — 10–15°C 10–15 °CRHS · read 13 September 2026- Soil
- Loam; pH Acid or Alkaline or NeutralRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to cats
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Toxic to dogs
- Not on the ASPCA list. That is not a finding of safety.ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Harmful to people
- Harmful when eaten; irritates skin and eyes and can cause allergy. Use gloves and protective gear when handling it.RHS · read 13 September 2026
Routine care
- Watering
- Where the air is dry, a humidifier or a tray of pebbles and water can help. Keep air moving around the plant and keep water off the leaves when watering to avoid leaf spots.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026During growth, water moderately and feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertiliser. At other times water sparingly, letting the soil surface dry a little between waterings.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Feeding
- While growing, water moderately and feed monthly with a balanced liquid fertilizer.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Propagation
- Stem cuttingsNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026In spring surface-sow seed at 19 to 24°C, or layer.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pruning
- Pruning is not needed beyond trimming stems when required.RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Pests and diseases
- Can be troubled by banded greenhouse thrips.NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Glasshouse red spider mite and scale insects can attack it. Disease is uncommon.RHS · read 13 September 2026
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Photographs
About the plant
Philodendron hastatum is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae. The species has previously been known by synonyms such as Philodendron domesticum or other names, a confusion made worse by the large degree of morphological variation in this and similar Philodendrons. Commonly known as the silver sword philodendron, the plant is known for its silvery coloration, especially in juvenile leaves.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · read 13 September 2026
- Native range
- SE. BrazilWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026Southeast BrazilNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Climate
- wet tropicalWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- Growth form
- climberWorld Checklist of Vascular Plants, June 2026 release, CC BY.Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026Herbaceous Perennial; habit climbingNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Climbing, Trailing (evergreen)RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Size
- Height 120–180 in; width 12–24 inNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Height 2.5-4 metres; spread 0.5-1 metres after 5–10 yearsRHS · read 13 September 2026
- Flowering
- Flowers white; blooms in spring, summerNC State Extension · read 13 September 2026Flowers green in summer; white in summer; red in summerRHS · read 13 September 2026
Other Philodendron
Heartleaf philodendronA thin dry rim that crumbles between the fingers
Blushing PhilodendronSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
- No photograph yetPhilodendron angustisectumSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Philodendron elegansSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
- No photograph yetPhilodendron mexicanumSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Winterbourn PhilodendronSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
More of the Araceae family
Arrowhead plantEdges of the leaf blades brown while the middle stays sound
Calla lilyEdges of the leaves brown while the middle stays sound
Dumb caneLeaf tips go crisp and brown
Elephant earCrisp margins that appear in winter
Flamingo flowerBrown brittle margins with a green centre
MonsteraBrown brittle margins with a green centre
Plants with similar care
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BullbriarSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Cat's ClawSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Centipede TongavineSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Chestnut VineSourced care, difficulty not yet judged
Sources
- ASPCA · read 13 September 2026
- Kew WCVP · read 13 September 2026
- NC State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- Penn State Extension · read 13 September 2026
- RHS · read 13 September 2026
- Wikipedia · read 13 September 2026
What this does not cover
The figures above are what published sources say, not measurements of the plant in your room. They say nothing about your pot size, your water, the season, or how far from the glass the plant stands, and those decide more than any figure here does.
Humidity has no species figure because no source read for this site publishes one, and the only temperature published for this plant is a cold floor. The simulator fills those gaps with general figures for its kind of plant, marked as general and listed on how we read sources. Where a toxicity row says the plant was not assessed, that is the absence of a finding and not a finding of safety.
If something is already wrong, the diagnosis tool asks about the soil, the window and the watering, which is where the answer usually is.