Heartleaf philodendron
Philodendron hederaceum · also called Sweetheart plant
Foliage and indoor
- Light
- Part sun, Shade or indoors
- Pot size
- Small pot (up to about 5 litres)
- Care level
- Easy
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 12.8 °C (55 °F)
- Pets
- ASPCA: toxic to pets
Light and position
Prefers medium light and tolerates low light.
Size and pot
A climbing or trailing vine; NC State gives anything from 4 inches to 6 feet depending on training. Our pot band: small pot (up to about 5 litres).
Watering
Keep the soil slightly moist and water less in winter.
Potting mix and feeding
A well-drained mix; very wet soil causes root rot.
Growing through the year
Tolerates dry indoor air but prefers medium humidity and appreciates misting. Stem cuttings root easily.
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 12.8 °C (55 °F). NC State gives no temperature for this plant and lists it only for USDA zones 11a to 12b, the tropical end of the scale. For tropical plants like this we follow NC State’s container chapter: bring tender plants inside once nights drop to 55 °F.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Aphids, spider mites, mealybugs and scale; the sap can irritate skin.
Pets and people
ASPCA lists heartleaf philodendron as toxic to dogs, cats and horses (insoluble calcium oxalates). Signs include mouth pain and swelling, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Low). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.