The Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a delightful self-heading philodendron cultivar with large waxy, matte leaves. This plant is the result of crossing Philodendron Imperial Red with Philodendron tatei in the late 1990s. Bred to grow well indoors, the Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ or Red Congo Philodendron requires minimal care.
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Enjoy large, oval leaves that, when mature, are a dark hunter or olive green. The undersides blush with a reddish-bronze hue. These fascinating leaves sit atop petioles, or long branching stems. The stems, while not easily visible because of how this philodendron grows, are a vibrant red-purple.
Like I said earlier, the ‘Rojo Congo’ Philodendron is a cultivar created by crossing two other, separate species of philodendron. Philodendrons are native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, however the Philodendron ’Rojo Congo’ is not found in nature at all. It was crossed by a horticulturist and was bred to thrive indoors. Keep on reading to discover all you need to know about Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ care!
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’, Red Congo Philodendron
- Scientific Name: Philodendron tatei ‘Rojo Congo’
- Mature Size: up to four feet tall and three feet wide
- Sunlight: bright, indirect sunlight but tolerates partial shade
- Water: when top 1” of soil is dry
- Soil: well-draining, rich organic soil
- Temperature: 65°F-86°F with moderate humidity
- Propagation: stem cuttings, offsets & air layering
- Hardiness Zone: 9b-12
- Toxicity: toxic to humans and pets
Growth Pattern and Habits
One of the great things about the Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is that it is a fast grower and matures into a beautiful, thick upright bush with tightly layered leaves. With optimal care, an indoor Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ can grow to heights of four feet tall and three feet wide. Mature leaves can stretch as long as eighteen inches by twelve inches wide!
Philodendrons grow in one of two ways. They are either vining or self heading. The Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a self-heading philodendron. This means that it grows upwards with leaves tightly growing off of the thick stems. Instead of growing like a vine like other philodendrons, the ‘Rojo Congo’ looks more like a tree or upright bush.
Expert Tip – clean leaves weekly with a damp cloth to remove dust
Because the Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a fast growing plant, it is suggested that it be replanted every one to two years. If you are growing your ‘Rojo Congo’ in a pot with a bottom drainage hole (HINT, you definitely should!), you will know it is time to repot when roots begin growing out the bottom.
Variegated plants are extremely popular right now but continue to be rare. That is because variegated plants occur through random mutations and are only reliably created in next generations through leaf, stem, or root propagation (not via seeds). All philodendrons, including the ‘Rojo Congo’ can be variegated. If you see a variegated Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ and you’re interested in collecting plants, consider buying it because you won’t see them in stores often!
Now that you understand how this plant grows, it’s time to learn all about ‘Rojo Congo’ Philodendron care.
Sunlight
The Philodendron ‘Rojo Congo’ is a sucker for bright, indirect light and lots of it. This plant does fabulous in a br