What? Philodendron here?

One of those plants that brings to us tundra dwellers visions of the tropics is Philodendron selloum. You can find it at any theme park, green house or exhibit where the designer wishes to add a tropical or prehistoric touch.

In Florida, from the panhandle to destinations south, it is as ubiquitous as cabbage palmettos and Cycas revoluta. In those locals it never gets cold enough to kill the stems so the plant meanders about the landscape as one part vine and one part shrub.

I have always wanted to have this plant. I killed a couple over the years (neglect, it's a pretty easy houseplant) and eyed them on vacation in Florida. "Wow" I thought, "imagine, this plant grows as far north as Saint Augustine".

Imagine my excitement when I learned from a venerable plantsman Anniston Alabama that he was familiar with a clump that had grown there for years (Anniston and I roughly have the same climate).


As soon as I became a home owner, Philodendron selloum was one of the first plants I put in the ground. Years later it still surprises me each spring as it returns (watch out for slugs in April, they can really slow the emergence of this plant).Each winter the stems die to the ground, however the clumps that get enough sun do slowly increase and look fantastic. Cool as it may sound, the leaves don't even "fry" until it gets below 25F. So, often mine are still looking good on New Years.

So if you're looking for a little bit of the tropics in your more northerly garden, try The Home Depot and pick up a selloum for $10 and put it in the ground, it won't disappoint you if you live in a warm USDA 7b or higher.