Lickety Split Philodendron

Lickety Split Philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum 'Lickety Split', still widely sold as selloum) is the deeply cut, tropical looking philodendron that stays a manageable size. It grows to about 1.2m tall and 1.5m across, spreading wider than it stands, with glossy leaves split almost to the midrib. It works as well in an indoor pot as in a shaded bed.

Why you'll love it

• The leaf shape does the work. Each leaf is cut into narrow fingers, giving you texture and shadow that a plain glossy foliage plant cannot.
• It stays in scale. At 1.2m by 1.5m it is a fraction of the size of the older tree philodendrons, so it fits a courtyard bed or a large indoor pot.
• Indoors or outdoors. The same plant works as a feature in a shaded warm climate bed, or in a bright corner of a living room anywhere in the country.
• Low maintenance. No pruning schedule, no staking, no spraying. Remove the odd tired leaf and keep the water up in summer.

Where it works best

Feature and mass planting. As a single feature it holds a shaded corner or an entry bed. For a massed planting, set plants 1m apart so the leaves overlap into one continuous layer.

Pots and containers. Use a pot at least 400mm wide with a quality mix and a real drainage hole. In a container it usually settles closer to 1m across, often the better size for a balcony.

Indoors. Bright indirect light near a window, out of direct sun through glass. Inside, your climate stops mattering, which is the answer in frost prone districts.

Growing Lickety Split Philodendron in Australia

Position and climate. Filtered light or part shade outdoors, bright indirect light indoors. Direct afternoon sun scorches the leaves. It suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens and is frost tender, so further south grow it in a pot that can move under cover.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil with plenty of organic matter dug through before planting. In a pot, a premium mix with added perlite or bark gives the drainage the roots want.

Water and feed. Keep the soil evenly moist through the warm months, never soggy. Outdoors that means two deep waterings a week in summer. Indoors, water when the top few centimetres are dry. Feed a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly in the growing season.

Pruning. Almost none. Cut yellowing or damaged leaves off at the base of the stalk. Indoors, wipe the leaves monthly, because dust on a leaf this size reduces the light it can use.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in two sizes: tube stock, and 200mm pots sold in packs of six. Tube stock is a young plant with three or four small leaves, only lightly cut at that stage. The deep splitting develops with maturity, usually from the second year. The 200mm plants already show the divided leaf and can go straight into a decorative pot.

Philodendrons travel well because the leaves are thick and waxy, though a creased leaf on arrival is possible and will be replaced by the next flush. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, under our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Designing a tropical garden that looks lush year round
• Browse the indoor plant range
• Compare tropical garden plants

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. The sap contains calcium oxalate crystals, which cause mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting if a pet chews the leaves. Rarely serious, but keep it out of reach where animals graze on plants.

Why are my leaves not splitting?

Young plants have simpler leaves and the deep cuts arrive with maturity, usually in the second year. Low light also produces smaller, less divided leaves, so move an established plant somewhere brighter.

Can it live outside in Melbourne or Adelaide?

Not through winter in the ground. It is frost tender, so in cool temperate and Mediterranean climates grow it in a pot on a sheltered patio and move it inside before the first frosts.