How To Tell Apart Philodendron melanochrysum From Philodendron gloriosum

Are you new to rare plants and having a bit of a hard time identifying between different species while on your own plant-collecting journey? Don’t despair! With time, practice and exposure, you will be able to differentiate between many plants like a pro! In this article, you will learn how to differentiate Philodendron melanochrysum from Philodendron gloriosum.

Plant Identification

So what physical characteristics should you look for when identifying plants? Here are some basic traits that you should observe and make note of:

• Leaf shape
• Color and markings
• Venation
• Petiole features
• Texture
• Growth pattern
• Inflorescences

We’re going to keep it simple and avoid the scientific, overly-technical jargon. If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of botanical morphology and identification, I would recommend doing your own research or taking botany classes.

Philodendron gloriosum

Philodendron gloriosum is a must-have in any indoor plant collection. The leaves are broad (almost as wide as they are long) and heart-shaped (cordate), with prominent white veins. Sometimes the veins can be tinted with pink, and the leaf margins (edges) can be pink too. The leaves have a soft, suede-like texture, and are usually dark emerald green, although this can vary.

New leaves emerge as a bright chartreuse green and will turn dark green after they harden off and mature. P. gloriosum grows in a crawling manner, creeping along the ground and setting roots from its nodes as it spreads horizontally.

The petioles of P. gloriosum are round and smooth, usually with striations. They also tend to get quite long and lanky.

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Check out these additional articles on Philodendrons:

• The Top 12 Philodendrons You Must Have
• The Botanical Chick’s Aroid Potting Mix
• An In-Depth Guide to Philodendron Care

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Philodendron Melanochrysum

Philodendron melanochrysum is another very popular rare plant that is found all over social media. As you will soon see, it is the “tall, dark, and handsome” cousin to P. gloriosum.

P. melanochrysum has iridescent, dark green― almost black― heart-shaped leaves similar to P. gloriosum. However, they are narrower and longer with bright, pale green veins. When fully mature, the leaves can reach up to 2 feet long.

The young leaves of P. melanochrysum emerge in a rich bronze color. The contrast between the green-black mature leaves and the young bronze leaves results in a very sultry, eye-catching plant. Not surprisingly, the vivid color difference between new and mature leaves makes P. melanochrysum one of the most sought-after plant species today.

The petioles for P. melanochrysum are short and a uniform pale green color. They have no striations like P. gloriosum.

P. melanochrysum’s leaves are velvety with a lovely sheen to them. While P. gloriosum crawls over the ground, P. melanochrysum climbs on trees. Over time, it will put out bigger and bigger leaves the higher it goes. Make your plant happy by giving it a moss pole or some other vertical structure to climb.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, I hope this short, concise identification guide helps you determine the differences between Philodendron melanochrysum from Philodendron gloriosum in your own plant collecting journey. Both beautiful plants have distinctive features which will make identification easy. As long as you remember that P. melanochrysum is the “tall, dark and handsome” one, you’ll probably be able to recognize it the majority of the time in the future.

Or, if all this plant identification stuff sounds too hard, don’t worry, there is another solution. With the advancement of technology, you can use a smartphone app to identify plants. On the other hand, it’s always impressive being able to identify plants on your own without the help of technology. Rattle off some scientific names and your friends and family members will be amazed!