Lynette Philodendron

Lynette Philodendron (Philodendron 'Lynette') is the compact, self supporting philodendron for anyone who wants broad tropical foliage without a plant that climbs the wall. It settles at about 60cm tall and 60cm wide, holding a tidy rosette of quilted apple green leaves around a short central crown. One plant fills a side table or a shaded balcony pot, then holds that shape.

Why you'll love it

• It stays the size you bought it. Roughly 60cm each way, so it suits a desk, a shelf or a 250mm pot without taking over the room.
• No stake and no moss pole. Climbing philodendrons need support to look right. This one is a self supporting rosette, so it reads as finished on day one.
• Genuinely low maintenance. Bright indirect light and a drink when the top few centimetres of mix dry out is close to the whole job.
• Humidity works in its favour. Bathrooms, kitchens and humid subtropical verandahs suit it, where drier loving plants sulk.

Where it works best

Indoors, anywhere in the country. This is first and foremost a house plant, and inside your climate stops mattering. Two or three metres back from a bright window suits it.

Pots and containers. A 250mm to 300mm pot with a drainage hole is the long term home for one plant. Group three in a wide bowl for a fuller look.

Balconies and courtyards. Outdoors it suits tropical and subtropical gardens only, in filtered light and out of the wind.

Growing Lynette Philodendron in Australia

Position and climate. Bright indirect light gives the largest leaves and the tightest rosette. Deep shade stretches the stems, and direct midday sun scorches the edges. It is frost tender, so outside the tropics and subtropics treat it as an indoor plant and keep it clear of cold draughts.

Soil. A premium indoor mix opened up with perlite or fine bark. Aroids rot in dense, soggy potting mix, so drainage matters more than richness.

Water and feed. Water thoroughly, let it drain, then wait until the top 3cm is dry: roughly weekly in summer, every two to three weeks in winter. Half strength liquid fertiliser monthly through spring and summer only.

Pruning. Nothing formal. Cut spent or yellowing leaves off at the base of their stalk and wipe the foliage occasionally so it keeps its gloss.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in trade packs: 125mm pots in packs of ten, and 175mm pots in packs of six. The 125mm plants are young, four to six leaves each, and step up into a 200mm pot within a season. The 175mm plants are already full rosettes and can go straight into a decorative pot.

Plants travel boxed and upright, and a creased or dropped lower leaf on arrival is normal rather than a fault. Give yours a week in a bright indirect spot before repotting, and expect new growth within four to six weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• How to keep your indoor plants alive
• Browse the full indoor plants range
• How to repot a plant properly
• Plants for balconies and courtyards

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Like all philodendrons, the leaves and sap contain calcium oxalate crystals that are toxic to cats and dogs, causing mouth irritation, drooling and vomiting if chewed. Keep it up on a shelf if your pet chews foliage.

Does it climb or trail?

Neither. It grows as a self supporting rosette from a short central crown, needs no moss pole, and stays about as wide as it is tall.

What size pot does it need?

A 250mm to 300mm pot suits a mature plant. Potting up too far too soon leaves wet mix sitting around the roots and invites rot, so step up one size at a time.