by Connie Oswald Stofko
Sometimes readers send me questions that they’d like to get some opinions on, so I share their questions with my readers. Here’s one.
Hi Connie,
I was given a philodendron in a basket with other plants as a gift over 10 years ago. I give it 20/20/20 every watering which is weekly.
For over a year, there is a stalk about 1 inch in diameter supporting extra-large leaves. They are bigger than my hand, so approximately 8 inches. The stalk started sprouting roots about then and they have adhered to my wall. Needless to say, this plant stays in the house when we move! There are also small regular-sized leaves mixed in.
Is this common? Can this plant win some prize? I’ve attached some photos that I took last summer, and needless to say, it is now well over the wooden hook rack! Any information on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Sue Hill
Town of Tonawanda
I don’t know if this is common, but I never heard of it before. My guess is that this is probably how the plant grows in the wild and that Hill has it in a good spot in her house.
Can you shed any light on this for Hill? To join the conversation, leave a comment below.
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Lyn, that’s a good idea. Maybe after the roots dry, they will be smaller and fall out. Molly, I have my fingers crossed for you!
Removing vein roots can be very difficult. Perhaps if you just left them they will dry out and be easier to remove. If they were recently attached to the plant they are still viable and would not pull off. After they are dead it should be much easier. Good luck!
Molly, I’m not sure what you can do. It sounds like you have pulled or cut the plant away from the wall, and it has left roots behind. That’s why people have left comments suggesting that gardeners shouldn’t let their philodendron climb up a wall– it could ruin the wall. This may be a question for a home repair person. I wish you luck.
i cannot remover the philodendrum sm roots from outside wall. have tried soap and water, stiff brushes but nothing gets the small roots off my wall. what can I do.
M.Petrullo
I have seen this on many plants in Cancun, it is common, almost like a new set of roots on the plant helping it to climb usually on a slab of bark wood or a tree. In one hotel in Cancun they were in planters like our window boxes on the top floor of an open area and they hung down several floors like a curtain. Gordon is right they will damage the wall but you could remove them and give them a piece of wood to climb on or root them in another pot.
I agree with the plant being a philodendron, cut back the weekly feeding and remove the enlarged section. This could be rooted to start another plant. Definitely remove it from the wall. That’s just asking for trouble. Removal won’t hurt the plant at all.
This is a philodendron. What you see are aerial roots which the plant uses to support itself. When they are a problem simply use a clean cutter or razor blade to remove them.
Not Pothos. Def. Phil. and Phyllis is correct. They will do damage on an inside wall. Similar to ivy on an outside wall only on a MUCH larger scale.
This plant looks like a pothos to me. I do believe that when allowed to climb the leaves can get very large.
Also,I’d like to ask, does she really want this plant attaching itself to her wall?? Not a good idea!! Give it something like a wooden post to climb. Roots attaching to your wall can cause a lot of damage.
I would suggest she stop feeding it so often. Once a month should be all it needs. I have seen them in the wild too, and they are huge!
Philodendron can be very aggressive and in the tropics, especially Hawaii it is very evident. They grow wild in the forests everywhere practically swallowing up trees.