In the store, less than 24 hrs ago, I found a shelf full of Philodendron Brazils, and I spent time choosing what I thought was the healthiest girl. The soil was very damp and in my ignorance I thought that was a good thing. The leaves were still firm and a lovely green. A bit droopy but not all.
Within hours of walking her home (5 minute walk but it was very cold out, if that matters) I noticed it started wilting. The leaves were getting "mushy"! I looked it up and it seems to have been overwatered.
I fell asleep without deciding where to keep her, so I've only just now put her by my east- facing window. However there is a draft and I'm not sure if this will help or harm?
Can i save her? Is there a beginner's guide on repotting overwatered philos or dealing specifically with brazils? Can/should i even try to propagate? Or should I just try to get my money back?
Please be kind, I haven't bought a philo in over 20 years and overall I'm so not a green thumb.
by sins-of-the-mother
12 Comments
Could be cold damage from the journey home
If it went straight to mush it’s probably cold damage vs overwatering.
See what other people say, but I’d leave it alone and see if it comes back.
If it’s root rot you could try to take cuttings, but if above the soil is mushy that’s probably not an option.
You could dig it up a little bit and see if the roots are firm/ whiteish and healthy.
If it’s cold damage it could still be fine after a bunch of the leaves die.
brazils are very easy to propagate, you can cut any node with a leaf and stick it in water and it’ll grow roots. to try to save the original, take the roots out of soil, if any are firm/white roots then try repotting, if all rots are black/mushy then your best bet is probably propping.
you certainly could return for your money back, and if all leaves are mushy and can’t be propped then do that.
Looks like cold damage? I accidentally left a snake plant on my porch too long and it did this. Soooo sad! I put it in my greenhouse to see if it comes back 🤷🏻♀️
How cold? My orchid has leaf damage from walking outside for ~5 minutes in 5 degree F weather. This def looks like cold damage
Typically if something has that dramatically fast of a decline it’s something physical like cold damage or a fall. Rot takes waaaay longer than a day to show up fully. This looks like cold damage. It can destroy a plant in a 5 min walk if it’s well below freezing as it is now in many parts of the world.
If you go back for another one, maybe take a cooler with you that the plant could fit in?
Remove the cold damaged leaves and new growth should emerge from the nodes 🙂 this has happened to me before with a similar plant
Looks like cold damage to me. How cold is it right there by the window? Don’t let this guy get colder than about 55°.
Thata cold damage not water hon.
Take it out planter and see if it will dry with dry air
I have gotten plants shipped to me before and when I got them they were still in nursery substrate (which is always trash, I have no clue how thru get plants to grow in it) & it was thoroughly wet with a Coke dropping leaves. I knew I needed to check the roots & immediately transplant it into some chunky aroid mix but accidentally fell asleep and when I woke up the next morning it looked exactly the same & I couldn’t save it. I’m positive the exposure to the cold air didn’t help but won’t say it’s the actual technical cause of your plants demise. If I were you, I would first take it back to the store and see if they will refund you or at least replace it (I wouldn’t mention the walk home) 2) If not pull it out off the pot and check the roots for any rot, those roots will by black, dark brown & mushy, cut those all those off down to where the root is healthy firm and cream/white colored. Rinse your remaining roots off with lukewarm water & then soak it in a 2:1 3% peroxide & water mix for 20/30 mins Then repot using a chunky aroid mix into a pot that is only about 1.5-2 inches bigger than your root ball which depending on if you had to trim roots off or not could be back into the same size pot just make sure if you reuse the same pot to wash out really thoroughly with hot soapy and I add a drop of bleach to my water & rinse very well with hot water to make sure that your pot is clean Good Luck