Philodendron patriciae - 10.5cm pot / 20cm
Philodendron patriciae is for the people who look at an ordinary leaf and think, 'Could it be longer? And perhaps more ridiculously textured?' Yes. Yes, it could.
This Colombian species is known for its long, hanging leaves and the extraordinary pleated surface they develop. On a mature plant, the foliage falls downwards in deep green ripples. It looks like the rainforest has started making its own curtains, and frankly the rainforest has excellent taste.
There is a lovely human story here too. Botanist Thomas Croat named the species for his wife, Patricia, in recognition of her support for his aroid work. It comes from Colombia's Chocó region, and that connection to wet tropical forest helps explain its appreciation of warmth and humidity.
You're adopting a young patriciae with all that growing ahead of it. Give it support for the climbing stem and space beneath for the leaves to lengthen. The contrast between an upward-growing plant and downward-hanging foliage is a huge part of its beauty.
A proper grow-with-me obsession. The kind you make space for before you've worked out where the space is coming from.
