The pink philodendron plant, more lovingly referred to as the 'pink princess' plant, is the latest piece of flora taking over our home decor inspo pages. Part of the philodendron family, the bright pink and green contrast adds a chic burst of colour to any room.
Plus, because of its variegated nature, no two plants look the same, almost offering a tie-dye-like effect that we love.
So, what makes them so covetable? Well, they're not made the same way your average succulent or peace lily is. They require some skill, patience, and a little trial-and-error, with most of the ones we've seen made in labs.
The pink hue is actually embedded into the plant's DNA, without any hint at how pink the leaves will get until the plant has fully sprouted.
When growing these, there's always the chance that most if the leaves, if not all, will end up just plain green.
So, just like golden cavoodles and limited edition designer bags, their rarity means that they can cost you a pretty penny.
But on the flip-side, while they can be difficult to procure, they are relatively low-maintenance to keep.
They thrive in bright, indirect light and enjoy being well-drained, so try to wait until the top inch of soil is dry before watering again—weekly should do it.
Too much direct sunlight can actually turn the pink into more of a golden hue, which is still cute but not what we're here for.
The pink colouring also means low-levels of chlorophyll (what plants use to feed themselves) so they can tend to randomly die off, however, this has less to do with a plant-owner's skill and more to do with luck, sadly.
However, on a positive note, they grow rather quickly, with new leaves popping up every fortnight. Freshly sprouted leaves may look lighter with white spots, but will mature into a very dark forest green with vivid pink colouring.
It's also important to note that these plants can be toxic to animals—if ingested—so maybe keep them up higher where your pup can't reach them.
Here are some places that sell this variety in Australia, but unsurprisingly, some of the best options can be found on resell markets like Gumtree or eBay.
