Silver Sword Philodendron Care

All about silver sword philodendron care

Today we’re talking about the silver sword philodendron—aka philodendron hastatum ‘silver sword.’ When I first got this plant, I had never seen one in person. I really only see them occasionally popping up in plant nurseries where I live for higher prices. So when a friend of mine told me she saw them at a grocery store for $15 and asked if I wanted one—the answer was YES!

This type of philodendron is nicknamed the “silver sword” because of its distinct glossy silver and mint green leaves that come to a sharp point. The leaves are real show stoppers because they are highly reflective. Very fun to take pictures of this plant—it’s so photogenic.

Light

Put the plant in bright, indirect light. These philodendrons grow beneath the canopies of the rainforest, so they are not big fans of direct sunlight. The silver sword’s unique leaves burn quickly, so the best place for it is by a window where no direct rays touch the leaves.

Indoors, I would probably err on the side of more light rather than less. I say that because even though burning is a concern, I had mine by my sunniest window in our old house. I never had any issues—it grew beautifully!

I have also had the plant under broad-spectrum grow lights through the fall and winter (see below photo). The plant experienced no adverse reaction to the lights despite being pretty close to them.

If the stems begin to appear long and leggy and you notice leaves growing farther apart, it’s an indication that the plant is not getting enough light. This happens because the plant grows longer stems in search of more light.

Water

The key to watering your plant is to ensure the top few inches of soil are dry before you water. For me, that generally means watering about once a week during the plant’s growing season in the spring and summer months. In the winter, I scale this back to about once every 10-14 days.

Common guidance on caring for this plant indicates that you should not water the leaves. However, I do the exact opposite! I love to rinse down my plant’s foliage in the sink when I water my plants.

Dust buildup on the leaves can prevent them from growing to their fullest potential, and cleaning the foliage like this is just something I’ve built into my care routine. I make sure to do it early in the day, though, so the leaves will have plenty of time to dry off.

Yellowing leaves

Yellow or droopy leaves can be a sign of underwatering or overwatering. If the plant is consistently yellowing off its oldest leaves and the leaves are curling, it may be in survival mode. You might need to water it more—as was the case with me and my plant! I was letting it dry out just a bit too much for a while.

Yellowing and droopy leaves could also be a sign of overwatering, though. This would, of course, be coupled with consistently wet soil. Philodendrons are vulnerable to root rot, which occurs when the soil stays too heavy and wet and prevents the flow of oxygen to the plant’s roots. Yellowing leaves would not be isolated to the plant’s oldest leaves in this case.

Soil

Like most other philodendrons, this plant does best in well-draining soil that is loose and moist, but not overly wet. Additionally, since this plant is a climber it prefers soil with high organic matter. In nature the silver sword climbs on other plants, taking its nutrients from them (organic matter).

Soil plays a huge part in meeting the plant’s water and nutritional needs. You can use a generic well-draining potting mix designed for houseplants or indoor plants and add compost to increase the organic matter composition.

Temperature

The philodendron hastatum is native to the rainforests of Brazil, which should tell you it prefers warmer temperatures. The optimal temperature to grow a silver sword is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. It isn’t tolerant of cooler temperatures or frost, so the plant will suffer and possibly die if exposed to the cold for long periods of time.

If you’re growing it indoors, maintaining a good temperature shouldn’t be difficult. Just keep it away from radiators, vents, and drafts. I find that my plant is very tolerant of all normal household temps. A few cold snaps down into the 50s probably won’t kill it, either.

Humidity

If you want your silver sword to really flourish and its leaves to look as metallic and stunning as possible, you have to artificially increase the humidity in your home. You can add a humidifier to boost humidity levels near your plant.

I have also kept mine in my Ikea greenhouse cabinet; since it’s enclosed, the ambient moisture from the plants tends to keep things a bit more humid even without a humidifier. During the winter months when the air becomes very dry, it’s important to watch out for yellow and droopy leaves as this is a sign it needs more moisture.

For more silver plants, check out my care guides for scindapsus pictus, watermelon peperomia, and scindapsus treubii moonlight.

Growth

Generally speaking, many consider silver swords to be moderate to fast growers. With proper care and ideal conditions, your plant can potentially grow several inches per year. Give it plenty of bright, indirect light and water appropriately—extra humidity will probably help, too!

There are two different types of philodendron hastatum ‘silver sword’ that I’m familiar with—including a more compact/narrow version. This is the version that I believe I have, though it wasn’t labeled when I purchased it.

The true silver sword philodendron’s leaves can get very large. And the plant can climb several feet tall. Because it is a climber in its native Brazil, giving it something to climb like a moss pole might help to get the plant to its maximum potential. Their aerial roots will attach to surfaces on their own once you get the plant started climbing something.

Pruning

You might want to make your silver sword bushier. There are a few easy ways to do that, including pruning. Cutting back the tips of the stems will promote bushier growth by encouraging the plant to branch out. I know cutting plants can be hard, but pruning is often a great thing for plants!

Propagation

When you prune your plant, you can try to propagate the cuttings, too. To propagate your plant using a stem cutting, cut a healthy stem that has several nodes (the areas where the leaves emerge from the stem). Then clip the bottom-most leaves off leaving 1-2 nodes.

Pop it into a clear container with water. Make sure all of the growth points are covered. Refresh the water every few weeks. You’ll eventually notice roots sprouting. Once they are a few inches long, transfer to soil and keep the soil moist while the water roots are converting to soil roots.

Another option is to use LECA. I like LECA because it helps the plant grow stronger roots than water does—but, unlike soil, I can monitor root development. To propagate a cutting in LECA, add about 2 inches in the bottom of a mason jar.

Then nestle the cutting above this LECA layer and fill in around it with more balls to stabilize things. Add water to fill up the bottom two-inch LECA layer, but don’t submerge the cutting. Monitor water levels and keep the reservoir full.

The balls around the cutting will soak up moisture from the reservoir, but because the cutting isn’t submerged in water, the roots still have access to air flow. This is a recipe for strong roots! See the pictures below for an example. You can plant this in well-draining soil.

Toxicity

Philodendron hastatum is considered toxic to pets and humans if ingested. The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals, which can cause oral irritation, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting. In more severe cases, it can cause swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat, which can lead to difficulty breathing.

I always recommend keeping plants—and especially philodendrons—away from children and pets if they are prone to nibbling. Better to be safe than sorry!

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