Philodendron Spiritus Sancti: Care-Pedia for Experts & Beginners! [Re-Updated 2023]

Philodendron spiritus sancti is a tropical aroid with enormous, saggy, glossy, and arrowhead-shaped leaves requiring a sultry ambiance for indoor care.

Read on if you plan to make your Philodendron spiritus sancti look delighted and keep it safe from conditional upshots.

Philodendron Spiritus Sancti [Plant Overview]

The extensively rare Philodendron spiritus sancti is a tropical hemi-epiphytic aroid with oddly elongated leaves.

Additionally, it loves the humid conditions of tropical rainforests and can sometimes be seen growing alongside Laceleaf (Anthuriums) and Swiss cheese plants (Monstera).

A further overview of the plant is mentioned in the table below.

Philodendron Spiritus Sancti for Sale

One of the most expensive aroids and Philodendron varieties, Spiritus Sancti is available in the following online stores.

Top 5 Ways To Care For Philodendron Spiritus Sancti 

Look below for the tips to take care of Philodendron spiritus sancti properly.

1. Light & Temperature

Philodendron spiritus sancti loves 2-6 hours of dappled sunlight and temperatures between 66°F and 76°F.

If the light is less or more than required, the leaves will lose color, the petioles will turn leggy, and the plant will grow stunted.

Similarly, in less temperature, the plant’s growth halts; in excessive temperatures, the plant will dehydrate and eventually die.

To fix light and temperature damage, follow the tips below.

• Low light: Rotate the plant frequently, place the pot in the east-facing window, and use grow lights when light is scarce.
• Excessive light: Use sheer drapes, and relocate the plant pot to a shady spot.
• Low temperature: Use heating pads and frost blankets to protect the plants, mulch around the plant’s base, and keep the plants away from cold drafts.
• Extreme temperature: Move your plants away from south or west-facing afternoon windows, and mist the plant to balance the heat.

2. Watering & Humidity

Before watering Philodendron spiritus sancti, it would be best to ensure that the top 60% of the soil is dry.

Also, water the plant weekly and provide a surrounding humidity of 50-70%.

However, Spiritus sancti cannot stand soggy soil as it can invite root rot, which eventually withers away the plant.

Similarly, underwatered plants and those with low humidity will exhibit signs like droopy and dry leaves, discoloration and browning of foliage, curling leaves, etc.

To fix watering and humidity damage, follow the tips below.

• Underwatering: Water the plant immediately and use the soaking method.
• Overwatering: Let the soil dry out completely, check for root rot and trim the damaged parts, and in severe cases, repot your Philodendron.
• Low Humidity: Use humidity trays or introduce your plant to an indoor humidifier.
• Excessive Humidity: Use a dehumidifier or air conditioner to tone down the humidity.

3. Soil & Fertilizer

Philodendron spiritus sancti prefers well-draining, airy, and porous soil with a pH range between 5.6 and 7.5.

Also, it thrives in a slow feeding of NPK 3-1-2 fertilizer monthly during spring and summer.

You can prepare a potting mix at home by mixing pumice dust, orchid bark, peat moss, sand, and horticultural charcoal in a ratio of 3:6:3:1:1.

For fertilizer, you can prepare compost from natural and kitchen waste to have an acidic potting mix for your plant.

4. Potting & Repotting

For Philodendron spiritus sancti, you can use terracotta pots as they allow good aeration and prevent your plant from infections due to overwatering.

Additionally, you can choose a pot that is 1-2 inches bigger in diameter than your plant’s root ball.

So, gather the relevant potting mix and transplant the plant’s rootball for repotting.

However, make sure to check the rootball thoroughly and trim away all the brown and decayed roots.

Water the Philodendron thoroughly and let it settle properly in its new home to prevent transplant shock.

5. Occasional Pruning

It would be best to prune it regularly to maintain its appearance and uniform growth pattern throughout the year.

Spiritus sancti can be attacked by pests like spider mites and mealybugs and diseases like bacterial leaf spots and root rot.

In case of pest attacks, you will witness insect webs and white cottony masses. Similarly, the diseases will render ring spots and slow growth.

Prune away the dead and damaged parts using sterilized pruners or follow a pruning schedule in spring or fall if your plant is healthy.

Use neem oil or insecticidal soap to shoo away the pests. Keep diseased plants separate from other plants and use copper fungicides on them.

Philodendron Spiritus Sancti Growth & Flowering

This slow-growing aroid, Philodendron spiritus sancti, has tapering, arrowhead-shaped (sagittate), dangling, and glossy leaves with thick yellowish-green veins.

The salty bluish-green leaves can get up to a meter long and are carried by long and stretchy petioles.

Additionally, the wild specimens of the plant can grow up to 20 meters tall and around 24 inches wide in their natural habitats.

Moreover, the plant flowers anywhere during summer with an inflorescence comprising elongated tapering creamy white spadix and lime-green and whitish-red leafy spathe. 

These plants are most likely to reproduce in the middle of the night.

At this point, you should rub the pollen from male flowers on the female flowers of the spadix to have any chance of pollination.

The flowers produced by this plant are strikingly symmetrical and white. You can also extract Philodendron seeds after the flower falls off.

Toxicity of Philodendron Spiritus Sancti

Philodendron has its share of toxicity because of calcium oxalate crystals in its parts.

In humans, it can induce symptoms like irritation in the mouth skin, difficulty breathing and swallowing, vomiting, swollen tongue, etc.

Similarly, it can cause vomiting, drooling, pawing at their mouth, etc., to pets.

So, seek medical help from the hotlines if you see any symptoms like the above.

• Animal Poison Control (ASPCA) at (888) 426-4435
• National Capital Poison Center: (800) 222-1222

Propagation Methods for Philodendron Spiritus Sancti

We can propagate this Philodendron through stem cutting or air layering during spring.

But stem cutting is the easiest and most preferred method of propagating Philodendron spiritus sancti.

1. Propagating by Stem Cuttings

You should take the cuttings early morning, as the plant is turgid.

To propagate via stem cuttings, follow the steps below.

• Take a healthy stem from the plant and cut 3 inches below the node at an angle of 45° and remove leaves near the cut.
• Keep 3-4 leaves on the top of the cutting and remove the other leaves.
• Additionally, locate the cutting in contact with air for a week so that callous forms on the cut part.
• Prepare a fresh, well-draining, and porous potting mix.
• Plant the cut stem 2 inches deep into the soil for abundant space for the root to grow.
• Water the plant thoroughly and place it in optimal sunlight conditions.
• You’ll see the roots in a month, after which you can transplant them into the soil.

You can also root the cutting in water by plunging the cuttings in the jar with rooting hormone solution and placing it in a bright location.

Change the water every 3-5 days, and you will witness the roots in 2-3 weeks. After that, transfer the cutting to the soil.

2. Propagation by Air Layering

• Select a 3-4 inches healthy stem with some aerial roots and make a cut 2 inches deep and wide.
• Keep the wound open by inserting a toothpick from the top and bottom, then cover it with sphagnum moss.
• Now, wrap the stem and the sphagnum moss with transparent plastic. Make sure to poke 2 holes to allow breathing.
• Do not forget to spray the area with water every second day.
• You’ll start seeing the root growth in 3-4 weeks. Cut the stem 2 weeks after you see the roots.
• Snip the stem a few inches below the wound and remove the wrap.
• After, you can root the layered part in the Philodendron potting mix just as you do for stem cuttings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Philodendron spiritus sancti expensive?

Philodendron spiritus sancti is a rare aroid with high demand among indoor plant enthusiasts.

Although you can get the cuttings at a much more affordable price, the established parts cost a fortune.