I have left my Philo erubescens "black cardinal" outdoors all winter here in the bay area.It's fine!.shocking since no other vining or hybrid Philodendron that isnt Zanadu or one of the big selloum and hybrids of it,grow outdoors in California. It's a very small Philodendron at 16",but looks great with glossy black leafs. D.G. says its a zone 11 plant..I would have agreed before this winter!
Anybody heard of its cold tolerance or know why?..are its parents from the subtropics?.nights of mid and high 30's have not stressed it..since Dec,temps have been almost all in the 50's. A mild Med climate here.
I have had it for years..first in a greenhouse, the last three years,outdoors in summer,inside in winter...and it hated that!. This winter i just never brought it in. And it looks better than ever.
Why?
A true tropical philodendron that grows outdoors in Cali?
I'm not too experienced with philos, but have about 6 different ones, all kept outside. I will say that they are all excelling and happy- I think the truth is our idea of tropical temperatures might differ from the actual temps of the tropics. Alot of my tropicals including a fern tree, love the cooler weather...60's and 40's seem to keep them all growing like weeds.
Rj
I have a couple of Orange Princes in the ground and we had a freak cold spell recently and it got down to 32. Lots of burned leaves on other plants but the phils are fine.
Yes..I have some Orange Princes too...they seem to be doing well. It's wet weather they're not so fond of.
Hmmm, I'll watch out for that I do have one that is in a very wet area.
Mine is too, it seems that it does better after being established...but I had to move another out of the rain because it was languishing.
It has been sooooo cold this year and so wet. We'll see what happens soon enough I am afraid. Hoping for the best for us all.
Yes...really been soggy this week...I don't think the plants can take much more...so glad it's warming up tomorrow and next week!
Its been the surprise of the winter. Ardesia do you have any photos?..my camera is out. Planted in ground they might need a fast draining soil..that epiphyte dna needs air.
I will be looking for more plants like this. It also sounds like the other colors of P.erubescens are just as hardy.
Bay Area- They have these at Jungle Music, if that's any help.-
Philodendron "red congo"
$ 75 $ 95
Philodendron giganteum
$ 35 $40
http://www.junglemusic.net/plants-other-exotics.htm
Have you had enough rain yet? Down here we are due for 3-5" and the Mountains are under blizzard warnings with 80 mph winds.
Take care.
L.A. palms: I'm in my NINTH straight rainy day..no end is sight. The pineapple express wasn't so bad-mornings in the mid 50's. Now that is ending and just regular cool rain is coming back. People driving over 80 in the rain!.saw one car UP a freeway embankment so steep the roof was facing me as i drove by..
LA,The red congo has a strong resemblance. The prices@junglemusic reflect the sloooow growth of this plant. If it vines,that could take decades locally to reach shoulder high. If it suckers and "birdsnest", then also slow. Still,in its own league of exoticness for my area. I wish i had more to experiment with. It could be a showstopper in a basket or mounted on a tree.
If all the hybrids have this much cold tolerance they could be the next hot thing in California tropical plant growing.