Could anyone tell me what kind of plant this is? Seems to look like a Pothos but was unable to find any pictures on the internet that looked like this. I would also like to know if it is poisonous. The little brown things fall the floor often and need to know if they are dangerous to my 1 year old son, 2 cats and dog. Also caught my son chewing on one of the leaves - got about half up the leaf before I noticed. Not sure if he swallowed any since I did find several bits of chewed leaf. I promplty trimmed that vine out of his reach, but am concerned on the dangers. Please advise.
Although Philodendron oxycardium is correct, technically the plant is Philodendron hederaceum. P. oxycardium is an older name that is now a synonym for P. hederaceum. This is one of the most confusing species of tropical plants known to botanical science. Botanists have given the species (P. hederaceum) more than 20 different scientific names because it is so variable. That simply means the same plant species does not always produce leaves that look alike. Consider it similar to trying to give every human being a different scientific name because our faces are not alike. Just because a leaf does not look like another of the same species does not mean it is a different species. The determination is made by examining the sexual portions of the plant, the spathe and spadix. These and all Philodendron species are found in Central America, Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. They are not naturally found in other part of the world although collectors grow them in many countries.
Everyone believes these always stay small but in reality they can grow quite large. Adult specimens can easily reach 16 inches (close to 40cm) in the wild. What we see in our home is simply the juvenile form of an adult specimen. The plant morphs as it grows and changes shape as well as color. Many have a velvet appearance but there are also members of the same species that do not.
All of these names (and more) have now been determined to be synonyms of Philodendron hederaceum: Philodendron acrocardium, Philodendron cuspidatum, Philodendron deviatum, Philodendron scandens, Philodendron micans, Philodendron miduhoi, Philodendron harlowii, Philodendron hoffmannii, Philodendron jacquinii, Philodendron microphyllum, Philodendron oxycardium, Philodendron pittieri
This link may help you understand a bit more about this confusing group of aroids:
The plant known as Pothos is from the Solomon Islands north of Australia and is related to the Philodendron, but is in a different genus. That species is Epipremnum aureum . And members of the genus Epipremnum are not naturally found outside the Pacific basin or SE Asia.
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Last edited by photopro; May 25th, 2008 at 12:44 AM.
I don't know about plants, but I have 3 little ones (1, 3, 5) who have all had their turn at eating things and just wanted to let you know that a lot of times poison control can help you identify things in a time of need. With my oldest there was a period when I had the number on speed dial. Just thought this may be helpful since one might assume you need to know there was in fact a poisonous substance ingested before calling, but you don't. Hope that helps!
Everyone believes these always stay small but in reality they can grow quite large. Adult specimens can easily reach 16 inches (close to 40cm) in the wild. What we see in our home is simply the juvenile form of an adult specimen. The plant morphs as it grows and changes shape as well as color. Many have a velvet appearance but there are also members of the same species that do not.
Thanks for clarifying this plant it is very confusing due to the scientists! :o) I have a pothos bought years ago and its leaves were getting to be that huge and the stocks are thick and root nubbs ( I guess you call it that) are all over the stems or trunk you might say. I didn't know it was called a pothos until probably coming to this website.
The problem is not with the scientists but with the pseudo-scientists who offer advice without reading a good botanical journal first. True, botanists have been confused by this species since they date back close to 150 years. When botanical science first began little was known about the sexual organs within species or even that the species were variable. So variable they can produce somewhat different inflorescences (spathe and spadix) and many different leaf shapes. Many plants have been given a large number of names because they "looked" different. But closer examination made it obvious they are all the same species.
Collectors and growers don't like having plants that look different but have the same scientific name. So collectors continue to insist that Philodendron oxcardium is different from Philodendron scandens and others that are now known to be one and the same species. Only through the work of botanist Dr. Tom Croat at the Missouri Botanical Garden and others in his category have all those names been found to simply be synonyms of a single species, Philodendron hederaceum.
But the botanist were not to blame. Science had not caught up at the time the named the plants. The problem today is the reluctance of collectors to accept what is scientifically known and accepted. I've published answers similar to this on a bunch of threads and still find people who I know have read them use the synonym names in preference to the correct scientific name. Once you adopt a name it is often difficult to give it up.
I now have "Pothos" (Epipremnum aureum) with leaves approaching 60cm (2 feet). They, just like Philodendron hederaceum grow much larger than most people who grow them in their home ever imagine. People often don't like it when I post this information and I've often received private mail calling me a "snob" for stating scientific fact. If someone doesn't like it, no problem It is still scientific fact.
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Steve Lucas www.ExoticRainforest.com "Listen to Mother Nature. Her advice is best!"
Member International Aroid Society To join the IAS visit www.Aroid.org
I dont feel that your comments are snobbish. Your references are always relevant and you are extremely knowledgeable in the field of ariod study. I look to you as a resource and you have never seemed disrespectful to me in the least.
I have never tried to be a "botanist". I'm not, and I'm certainly not an expert. I just enjoy the study of botany, especially as it relates to aroid species. Over the years a few people have misunderstood my desire to make facts clear and expose myths. And from time to time, my email box lights up! It is never my desire to "talk down" to anyone or to scream "you're wrong"! I just read this stuff daily and trade notes with people who know far more than I do and try to pass along what I learn to those who are interested. UBC is blessed with people who Know what they are talking about and I enjoy learning. I read many threads and make no comments because I'm just trying to learn. I just hope others might learn a little from what I've discovered along the way.
So thanks! And by the way, how's your experiment?
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Steve Lucas www.ExoticRainforest.com "Listen to Mother Nature. Her advice is best!"
Member International Aroid Society To join the IAS visit www.Aroid.org
I'm always happy to learn new things and was amazed that my "pothos" new term for me as I thought it was the simple philodendron, which I find does not roll off my tongue easily, nor my brain even remembering it. LOL I do love to say Pothos though, much easier and happy to know that the the variegated plant I've had for ages is known as a pothos. ;o) I still am happy to know that the leaves that were getting huge compared to the "baby Plants" of philodendrons was a normal occurance when it has grown for such a long time. What would be amazing is how can this big leaf or leaves on the vine come from a thin vine, while parts of it was thick. One tough plant and it has always been sitting in a pot next to the side lite window of our front door which now hubby has put in glass block, instead of the original gold pebbled glass that came with the green and gold house decor.
Plus that glass finally was on its last leg, as through the years, my 5 children, 4 of them boys have caused the window or glass to crack and eventually it cracked all the way from floor to ceiling and then we held it up with duct tape. It finally succumbed to more cracking and I was so glad to get rid of the duct tape and gold cracked glass.
There is also a heater vent next to this side lite in the entryway of our house and where the pothos has been for the past 16 years, except for a few times where it was on a book case in the living room and was creeping all over our oak clock which was hanging up close to it. The kids, soon to be teenagers loved it!
I just was worried about watering the container and having it leak over the bookcase and then into the books so that is when I moved it to the entryway. I finally this year or last November repotted the vine and cut up all the pieces which were thick and put them in water. Now the sections are in a pot with each nodule growing has a new leaf.
It was ignored for a time in a plastic planter along with my cannas I put in my pond in the summer. But as I grew in knowledge from this website and study elsewhere I began to understand propagation of many plants and started cutting up the longer cut vines to sectons and did notice that they can rot if kept in water too long, so yesterday, I cut off the rotten ends and have now been putting them in potting soil and waiting to see what comes next as I didn't put just one cutting in a pot but several in an 8" pot and have more to go. some of the stem cuttings need their own pot due to their thick size.
So again thank you for informing us about this plant and sorry I'm wordy today, as my hands are just gliding over the keyboard without pain from carpal tunnel. :-D yippee!
And its SPRING!
Just to be sure, the one in the photo at the top of this thread is not a Pothos. This one is a Philodendron with a bunch of names but the basionym (base name) is Philodendron hederaceum. If you are growing what is often known as Pothos that one is likely Epipremnum auruem and is a totally different plant. Philodendron hederaceum is found in Mexico, Central America, South America. Epipremnum aureum (Pothos) is from SE Asia. The two may be similar but are very different species in completely different genera.
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Steve Lucas www.ExoticRainforest.com "Listen to Mother Nature. Her advice is best!"
Member International Aroid Society To join the IAS visit www.Aroid.org
Yes, I definitely know that the philodendren is the one at the top of the posting and the green yellow flecked or white flecked looking "philodendren" is really a Pothos.
An individual who read this thread sent me a private note via the UBC system but gave no email address in the message. I'd love to respond but the UBC computer has no way of finding you, or so it says. Please go back to my website and find my email address near the bottom of the homepage and send me another note. I'll gladly respond.
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Steve Lucas www.ExoticRainforest.com "Listen to Mother Nature. Her advice is best!"
Member International Aroid Society To join the IAS visit www.Aroid.org
