When I got this plant it was ID'd as a Congo type Philo. One old leaf was 1/2 white. Kinda sturdy round leaves. I wondered if I'd ever see any white again. Now that it is on the back porch for the summer it just put out this all white leaf - ok, a very, very light pink?? Any idea on an ID and what can I expect in the future?
I have not heard of nor seen a plant capable of an all white leaf.
Your plant is an example of a chimeric variegant. Occasional entire leaves that are white, yellow or red are not totally uncommon in plants with this condition; I have a Philo now that has two all-pink leaves. However, if the plant has nothing but leaves that are chlorophyll-free, the plant will not survive for long.
Your Philo looks to be a young specimen of a vining type, while the Congo is close to being a self-header. Many species of Philos look similar when as young as yours is, so providing you with a definitive ID is not really possible unless the person you got the plant from has a fully mature specimen that has been definitively ID'd.
LariAnn
Aroidia Research
Yes, a vining type.
Thanks for the great explanation LariAnn.
It is my understanding "Congo" was created as a cultivar of Philodendron erubescens but there have been many other plants cross-bred into the mix. I have the original document on "Congo" somewhere but the creator indicated he used as many as 7 different species including Philodendron martianum in order to create the rosette leaf formation. You understand this far better than do I but I would tend to think that could eventually weaken the cross. As I understand, these multiple crosses are something you will be talking about at the IAS show in Miami this year.
Botanist Pete Boyce has attributed the lack of coloration to a natural virus that causes variegation in the wild that has been bred so deeply into some hybrids they just can't survive as you indicated. He refers to it as the "Colour break" virus.
Excessive variegation is always nice to see but from all I've read the plants normally don't last long.
Steve
This message was edited Jul 6, 2010 4:42 PM
Next new leaf looks to be 1/2 green and 1/2 white. Yeah.
If your plant starts to produce only white leaves, cut the stem below the first in the sequence and give it a chance to come back out normally. I had to do this with a Philodendron "Pink Princess" several years ago that was popping out nothing but all pink leaves which were getting smaller and smaller with each successive leaf. The new growth after I made the cut was completely normal variegation, plant has lived another several years and is very large now.
Good info to know. I have several Pink Princess and will be watching. Did you bother to pot the cutting (the all pink part)?
yes but it croaked
