Although houseplants come in many different shapes and sizes, most of them have become popular picks because of their interesting coloring or foliage. While many houseplants are capable of producing flowers, the conditions in our homes aren’t always the most conducive for getting a plant to bloom.
Do Philodendrons flower and fruit? Although rare, indoor Philodendrons will occasionally produce flowers if they are fully matured, which can take several years to achieve, and only when the right environmental conditions are met. If properly pollinated, these flowers can produce fruits with viable seeds.
While it is possible for your indoor Philodendrons to produce flowers, you probably shouldn’t hold your breath. Not only does it take many years for your plant to reach sexual maturity, but your plant will need the right conditions to encourage flowering, which can be hard to achieve indoors. Regardless, the flowers and fruit that Philodendrons produce are pretty cool to learn about; this article covers the basics for you in the rare event you get lucky enough to see one of your indoor plants produce them.
Will Indoor Philodendrons Flower?
While it is possible for indoor Philodendron plants to produce flowers, you should set your expectations accordingly. A few key conditions need to be met for a plant to be able to flower, which can be hard to achieve in our homes.
First and foremost, Philodendrons need to reach sexual maturity in order to flower. Flowering and fruiting bodies take a lot of energy to produce, so your plant needs to be large and established enough to take on sexual reproduction. This takes several years to achieve.
There are several hundred different Philodendron species, and while they all likely vary a little bit in how long this process actually takes, it has been reported that it can take up to 15 years before a plant will flower. Most Philodendrons we purchase at a plant store are only about one to three years old, so it could be a decade or more before you see a flower on your indoor plant.
In addition, plants tend to flower only when they are healthy enough to do so. This means that all their light, water, nutrition, and environmental factors need to be dialed to ensure your plant is thriving enough to initiate setting flowers. Since most Philodendrons come from near-rainforest-like conditions in tropical climates, achieving a similar environment in our homes comes with challenges. However, if your care game is on point and you wait long enough, you might just get lucky!
What to Expect from Philodendron Flowers
If you manage to encourage your Philodendron to flower (more on that below), you might wonder what you can expect to see. Well, nature is pretty awesome, and Philodendron flowers do not disappoint.
In general, Philodendrons tend to produce an “inflorescence,” which is the floral structure that contains the sexual parts of the flower. It resembles the bloom of a calla lily, with a leaf-like, hood-shaped spathe surrounding a structure called a spadix, which contains both male and female flowers.
Depending on the variety, you might see a single inflorescence or a small cluster of them. The bloom of these flowering structures is fleeting, only lasting about two days. First, the spathe begins to open and allows access to the female flowers, located lower on the spadix. Using some very neat tricks of scent and temperature regulation, these blooms begin to attract pollinators.
Within another day, the spathe begins to close up again, blocking access to the female flowers, while the male flowers begin to release their pollen. The reason for the staggered timing is to prevent a bloom from self-pollinating. This pollen is carried by insects (mainly beetles) to other blooming inflorescences before the original flower closes.
The whole affair is very short-lived and only happens once a year, usually in May or June. Depending on the variety and the conditions in your home, you may find that once a Philodendron reaches flowering age, it might do so annually, although it isn’t uncommon for a plant to skip years between blooms.
Will Indoor Philodendrons Produce Fruit?
Theoretically, if your indoor Philodendron is blooming and producing more than one inflorescence at a time, it is possible for it to fruit. However, in actuality, the process is hard to achieve and requires a lot of work on your part.
The staggered timing of the female flowers being receptive to pollen and the male flowers producing it is the plant’s way of avoiding self-pollination. In order to create a fruiting body, pollen from one inflorescence needs to make its way to another inflorescence. This task is hard to accomplish without pollinators, which tend to be in short supply indoors.
This is where you would have to intervene. Once you see your first inflorescence growing in, you would need to make yourself available to watch it closely as it opens, being ready to collect the pollen it produces near the end of its bloom time. This pollen must then be preserved (sealed in a container and placed in the freezer) until a second inflorescence begins to open on your plant. Using a paintbrush or something similar, gently apply the pollen to the lower portion of the spadix where the female flowers are present.
You can imagine the timing of this process could be quite difficult, especially if your plant only produces one inflorescence during a growing season. If you cross-pollinate correctly, the spathe of the pollinated inflorescence will close up tight and eventually begin to harden and swell near the base. This is the fruit (technically “berries”) beginning to grow in. Within a few months, the spathe will reopen and fall off the plant to disperse the whitish berries to spread their seeds on the ground.
Just to note, like the rest of the plant, any fruiting bodies from a Philodendron will contain calcium oxalate, a known irritant that can cause itching and gastric discomfort, so it’s not worth eating any berries that do form.
How to Encourage Indoor Philodendrons to Flower
If you’ve read this far, you not only know how long it takes before your Philodendron is physically capable of flowering but also that flower production and fruiting are generally rare for an indoor specimen to ever produce. However, if your curiosity gets the better of you and you’re okay to play the long game, you can do a few things that may help encourage your Philodendron to flower.
First, calculate your wait time. Obviously, there’s no point in anticipating flowers if your Philodendron isn’t old enough yet. Knowing how old and mature your plant might be is a good first step and will give you an idea of when to even start considering the possibility of flowering.
Next, excellent plant care begets strong, healthy plants, so it will help to step your care routine up. Keep your Philodendron properly moist by only watering when the top two inches of soil have dried to the touch. Make sure your plant has as much indirect sunlight as you can give it. Once it reaches maturity, you may have to provide even more to help produce flowers, so consider adding a grow light.
You’ll also need to ensure plenty of nutrients are available to your plant. Producing reproductive structures uses a lot of resources and energy, so being consistent with supplemental fertilizer applications can help a lot. You may even want to look into formulas higher in phosphorous, as they tend to be specifically mixed to encourage blooming. Lastly, pay close attention to your plant’s environment. Ensure it is planted with well-drained soil in a container allowing room for its root system to flourish.
Higher temperatures and humidity levels will also encourage flower production, so ensure you keep your plant near the higher end of those tolerance ranges. Strive to keep your plant at temperatures in the mid-70s or higher. Our homes are generally drier than most plants prefer, so consider adding a room humidifier to increase levels closer to 60%.
With a lot of patience, consistent care, and a little luck, you may just get to witness an exceptional flower or two grow in on your Philodendron!
Final Thoughts
While it is exciting to think of your indoor Philodendron flowering, and possibly even fruiting, remember to set your expectations accordingly. Not only does it take a really long time before your plant is even ready to flower, but many conditions need to be right before it will ever happen.
That being said, it is possible! If you keep your plant healthy and happy for long enough, it just might reward you with a few rare and beautiful flowers. Be patient and good luck!