What is and where did the Philodendron Melanochrysum come from?

One variety of Philodendron is called Melanochrysum philodendron, which is Latin for “black gold.” I’m not sure what language it is. But Wikipedia claims it’s real, and I take their word for it.

The name “black gold” refers to the almost-golden-looking speckles that appear on Melanochrysum philodendron ( black gold philodendron ) extremely dark adult leaves. It grows in Colombia’s moist Andean foothills.

The heart-shaped leaves initially emerge as a lighter green with undertones of yellow-brown. As the plant matures, the leaves lengthen to as much as 2 feet long and eventually turn a stunning deep green in ideal growing conditions.

Philodendron Melanochrysum Care

I’m thrilled to discuss the Philodendron Melanochrysum today since I’ve been wanting to own one for a while, so when the opportunity presented itself, I seized it!

With its equally velvet-like leaves, this lovely tropical climber reminds me a lot of the Philodendron micans. Melanochrysum, on the other hand, has sturdy, thick stems that enable the plant to grow straight up. Though I am still quite young, the leaves get much larger.

light

Maintain your Philodendron Melanochrysum indoors and in bright, direct sunlight. That usually implies next to one of my sunniest windows for me. To make sure there isn’t too much, watch for the afternoon sun’s peak.

Melanochrysum cannot tolerate prolonged exposure to sunlight. The foliage will be burned. No matter how close to a sunny window they are, I’ve discovered that it’s exceedingly uncommon for my plants to burn indoors. However, your house might be more well-lit than mine.

Make sure your Melanochrysum is only exposed to dappled sunshine during the spring and summer if you are growing it outside. Shade is okay. Under a huge tree that provides shade from the majority of the sun or a covered patio. A plant that is leggy will have smaller new leaves and a wider gap between leaves as it searches for light.

Soil criteria for Philodendron Melanochrysum

The key to caring for black gold Philodendron is particularly well-draining soil. Without the proper soil, you cannot water your melano properly. Look for soil with the designations “well-draining” or “houseplant.”

My plant was sent to me bare root when I received it. I created some soil by starting with a well-draining houseplant mix. I followed it by adding more chunky perlite, shredded coco coir, and chunks of coconut husk.

To aid in drainage and aeration, orchid bark could also be added, but I didn’t have any. This is also assisted by the coconut husk pieces and perlite.

If your soil is overly compacted, water won’t be able to drain out of the drainage holes. Root rot may result from this. Additionally, the soil’s texture aids in delivering oxygen to the roots, which is crucial for the plant’s proper growth.

Water

Not much more needs to be said about watering! You’ll be fine to go if you use the proper soil mixture and wait until the top few inches of soil have dried before watering it again.

Just be aware that there is a chance of overwatering the plant if you water it too frequently, even if the soil is well-draining. The leaves will start to yellow if the roots are kept too damp.

Underwatering might cause the leaves to droop and die. The leaves could also begin to discolor and appear generally depressing.

Temperature and humidity

Although it is a tropical plant, Philodendron Melanochrysum likes warmer temperatures. You cannot leave it outdoors unless you reside somewhere where winter lows do not fall below the 50s because it is neither cold- nor frost-hardy. Not where I live, then!

However, Gold Black Philodendron thrives in the majority of typical home temperatures. Additionally, it ought to thrive in a variety of humidity conditions. When you have tropical plants indoors, you should always be on the lookout for symptoms of dry air stress.

However, higher humidity levels will make it thrive. A humidifier can be added to the area where the plant is located. For increased humidity, I now have mine in a glass greenhouse cabinet. For the summer, I’ll probably move it outside.

Growth rate and fertilizer

In terms of growth rate, Philodendron Melanochrysum is an ordinary plant. Melano may put out a number of new leaves each year with the right care and a sturdy object to climb.

Speaking of something to climb, this vining plant will benefit from a sturdy object. It can hold up on its own thanks to the stem’s relative thickness, but a moss pole wouldn’t hurt.

Additionally, it will anchor bigger leaf growth and aid in plant stabilization. Give your plant something like Liqui-Dirt organic fertilizer to replenish nutrients to help it grow. However, keep in mind that the soil you used for newly replanted plants likely contains some form of slow-release fertilizer.

Philodendron Melanochrysums Propagation

My melano hasn’t been propagated yet, but when it does, I’ll be sure to give it a little cut. As this plant’s propagation is essentially the same as that of many other philodendrons, I shall focus on generic techniques.

Take a cutting that has a few nodes and leaves first. Those tiny lumps on the stem that you can see below. To reveal growth spots, you might also take a cutting and then take off the last set of leaves.

After taking cutting, you can root it by submerging it in water. Alternatively, you might plant it in a sphagnum moss and perlite mixture, which promotes the growth of robust roots (read more about rooting in moss). Although water rooting is simple.

You might also try using LECA if you enjoy utilizing water but don’t want to deal with moss and perlite. Learn more about LECA propagation here. LECA are clay balls that aid in the development of strong roots when combined with water.

Root Development

Whatever method you use to root your cutting, keep an eye on the root development. You can transplant the cutting to the soil once the roots are several inches long. For a few weeks, keep the soil moist and the humidity high.

You can start treating your melano normally once you encounter some resistance when removing the cutting from the ground. You now possess a fresh cutting of philodendron Melanochrysum!

In comparison to the micans, which have longer, thin, jointy stems, the melano’s stems are thicker as well. While the Melanochrysum can have quite enormous leaves on a mature plant, the micans’ leaves also tend to stay a little smaller throughout time.