Scientific/Botanical Name:
Genus: Philodendron
Specie: P.melanochrysum
Variety/Cultivar:
English Name:
Common Name:
Black Gold Philodendron, Velour Philodendron
Botanical Family:
Name in Latin: Araceae
Name in English: Arum Family
The Plant
Origin: Costa Rica to Columbia into Ecuador and down to Peru
Growth Habit: climbing foliage plant
Flower: rare, insignificant flowers
Blooming Period:
Leaf: heart-shaped leaves that are typically 25 cm long, but in ideal conditions they can grow even longer, velvety sheen on the blackish-green surface, and beautiful, pale green veins.
Usage:
houseplant, greenhouse plant
Care and Handling
Soil: well drained rich soil mixed with a lot of peat, mulch and humus
Amount of water: Water freely when in full growth, water sparingly in winter
Nutrition: monthly liquid feed
Special handling: high humidity and moderate light
Special feature/remarks:
"melanochrysum' means "black gold" and is used to describe the tiny golden sparkles sometimes seen when the velvety blackish-green leaf blades of adult plant are in sunlight.