Discovered in the Amazon rainforest keeping company with so so many of our beloved houseplant forbears, this Philodendron Goeldii patiently waited for us to discover him. Named for Swiss plant discoverer Emil Goeldi, we kinda can't believe this wild and crazy guy took so long to get to us. Starting with the look of a Schefflera seen from afar, long, swaying stems holding umbrella-like leaves in a glossy, emerald green, a tall and rangy plant. When you get up close and see the unique leaves, the resemblance ends. It's so weird, each petiole (leaf stem) rises from the pot, then when pretty tall, it splits in two and each end heads off, circling horizontally to almost meeting each other is a circle. From this circlet, (a few inches across) hang down identical, finger-like leaves, smooth and satiny, recessed midribs where the leaf folds ever so slightly and with ever so slightly waving edges. The leaves hang all the way around the circle evenly spaced, like spacey umbrellas. Just a few, really large leaves in a wide, dramatic bush, up to 8' tall and wide, (and more sometimes!) all the leaves emanate from the bottom of the plant, like many Philodendrons and very unlike Scheffleras. Give Goeldii lots of room and watch the weirdness.
- Air Purifying
- Low Light
Quick Car Guide:
- Water - Medium (2): Water moderately, allowing the top inch of soil to dry out between waterings.
- Light - Medium (2): Prefers bright, indirect light but can tolerate medium light conditions.
- Difficulty - Easy (1): Generally easy to care for, making it suitable for beginners.