The Majestic Micans - Plant Care Guide
The Philodendron Micans, AKA the Velvet Leaf Philodendron, is known for its long vines and velvety leaves that shimmer in the light.
Ease of care, vigorous growth, and simple propagations make this the perfect houseplant for someone looking to add a bit of texture and velvet to their indoor jungle.
This newsletter will cover everything you need to know about caring for this unique viny plant so that the next time you see one in the store, you can confidently place it in your cart :)
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I want to start by saying welcome to all the new subscribers! I found out yesterday that The Happy Planters Newsletter was chosen as a featured publication by Substack!
You can currently find my newsletter on Substack.com/home! How exciting! I want to thank all of you, whether you are brand new here this week or have been with me since the start.
All of you are allowing The Happy Planters to grow and thrive, and I appreciate the support :)
Now on to the content you are all here for!
Care topics:
Background
Light
Watering Frequency
Temperature / Humidity
Propagation
Common Issues
Background:
Philodendron micans is native to the Carribean islands of Dominica and Tobago. This epiphytic and epilithic species of Philodendron grows naturally in humidity-rich forest conditions, rooting itself to tall trees. (https://tula.house/blogs/tulas-plant-library/philodendron-micans)
I always think it’s important to point out where a plant originates because it can tell us so much about what kind of care it requires as a houseplant. The better you can replicate its original home, the happier it will be.
Light Requirements:
Your Micans will be happiest with bright indirect light. Direct light can burn the sensitive velvet leaves, so avoid putting it directly in a window that receives sunlight throughout the day.
This plant actually does quite well in medium to low light; it will just grow leggy and produce smaller leaves. If you are okay with that look, this plant will survive in many areas of your home.
If you aren’t sure what “bright indirect light” is, check out my newsletter on the topic!
Watering Frequency:
Water your plant when the top inch or two of soil is dry. I used to water mine about every two weeks or so, but I kept my plant in lower light, and it was leggy due to this.
I added a grow light to help it grow more full, and now I water it about once a week. The more light your plant gets, the more often you need to water it.
Always feel the soil before watering. If it is still damp, wait a few days and check again.
Temperature / Humidity:
As mentioned above, the Micans is from the Caribbean islands and evolved in a warm, humid environment. Your plant will thrive if you live in an area with similar conditions.
If you don’t live in these conditions, luckily, this plant isn’t super picky. If you are growing your Micans inside, it will generally be comfortable if you are comfortable. It enjoys temps ranging from around 65-80F, and most household humidities will be fine. It would be happier with slightly higher humidity, but it's not necessary.
If the air in your home is so dry that you are uncomfortable, most of your plants probably feel the same way. A humidifier might make everyone feel a little better.
Propagation:
To propagate, you will have the best luck using a cutting with at least two nodes. Make sure there is at least one leaf on it, and then place the cut end into the water. Avoid putting any leaves into the water, as they will begin to rot.
The more leaves you have on the stem, the better the propagation will do! Place it in a bright spot and enjoy watching the roots grow.
Here is an example of when I propagated my Micans earlier this year. I put a few stems in each propagation jar, and they did great. You can see in the second picture how many roots these grew!
These plants propagate easily in water, and I have always had great success. Remember to change the water occasionally, and if you see green stuff growing on the roots, it’s most likely algae, and you can wash it off in the sink.
One of the leaves got burned by the sun reflecting through the water, but other than that, these plants did great. I ended up planting them all back into the same plant I took the cuttings from to make it more full.
Throughout multiple rounds of propagating and replanting, I was able to turn my Micans from this… into this!
These pictures are taken almost exactly one year apart. I have cut it way back multiple times, and it’s still 5 feet long!
Common Issues:
Small leaves and a leggy plant.
As mentioned above, this can be caused by low light conditions. If you aren’t happy with this look, move your plant into a brighter spot. If the lighting changes drastically, expect some transition time where it may drop a few leaves. It will recover and grow back stronger than ever!
Water droplets forming on the leaves.
This is called guttation and is a plant’s way of ridding excess moisture. If seen occasionally after watering day, it’s totally normal. If you see this pretty much constantly, it’s a sign of overwatering, which can kill your plant.
Curling leaves or leaves falling off.
Having a leaf fall off here or there is natural. Plants will drop old leaves to direct nutrients to new growth. If the leaf drop is excessive or the leaves are curling, it's probably a good sign that you’re underwatering.
Final Notes
The Philodendron Micans is a laid-back plant that can tolerate some abuse and still grow beautifully. It’s a fun plant to propagate and share with friends. Everyone loves a velvety leaf!
If you follow the guidelines above, you should have no issue growing a large healthy Micans. If you ever run into any issues, feel free to send me a message!
This Week’s Happy Planter Submission
This is my Colocasia, or elephant ear. It pushes my happy button.
Thanks for the submission, Lindsay! Sometimes it’s as simple as that. It just pushes your happy button :)
That’s all for now!
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-Houseplant Hobbyist
Nice job on the newsletter! It's as simple as that :)