Philodendron imbe
Imbe Philodendron
Typical UK price
£6
Price by size
- Sold, 90 days
- 0
- Middle half
- -
- Last sold
- 17 Jun 2026
- On record
- 1
- Sale
- Typical
- Middle half
- Estimate
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About Philodendron imbe
Philodendron imbe is a Brazilian climbing species named for the coastal region of Imbé in Rio Grande do Sul. Its variety ilsemannii is the source of two well-known variegated selections in cultivation: the widely-traded 'Ilsemannii Variegated' and 'Jose Buono' (the latter's full botanical name is Philodendron imbe var. ilsemannii 'Jose Buono', though it circulates commercially under just the cultivar name). Both are unstable, often heavily white-sectored chimeric variegations, considerably more delicate and slower-growing than the plain green species.
Native range
Coastal Brazil, including the Imbé region of Rio Grande do Sul (humid coastal rainforest, hemiepiphytic)
Classification
- Genus
- Philodendron
- Family
- Araceae
- Type
- Wild
- Growth habit
- Climbing/vining, hemiepiphytic
Morphology
- Leaf shape
- Elongated ovateEgg-shaped leaves, with the wider end near the base. to lanceolateLance-shaped leaves that are significantly longer than they are wide, tapering to a point at the tip.
- Leaf length
- 20-35 cm
- Leaf width
- 10-18 cm
- Petiole colour
- Green
- Venation
- PinnateVeins or lobes arranged like a feather, branching out symmetrically on both sides of a single main central vein., subtle
- Texture
- Semi-glossy
- Variegation
- N/A: solid deep green blade; the heavily white-sectored 'Ilsemannii Variegated' and 'Jose Buono' are both chimericVariegation caused by a cell mutation. Often produces high contrast but can be unstable and revert to all-green. sports of the variety ilsemannii
- Growth habit
- Climbing vine with aerial roots
Recent UK sales
For sale in the UK
By month
| Month | Median | Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 2026 | £6 | 1 |
Before you buy
- For 'Ilsemannii' or 'Jose Buono', check the balance of green-to-white tissue in photos; near-pure-white cuttings are fragile and slow to establish
- Confirm which cultivar name the seller means, as both circulate under overlapping trade names
- All Philodendron are toxic if ingested; keep away from pets and children
Philodendron imbe care
- Substrate
- Chunky, well-draining aroid mix: 40% orchid bark, 30% potting compost, 20% perlite, 10% sphagnum moss.
- Watering
- Allow the top few centimetres of substrate to dry between waterings.
- Humidity
- 60-80%. Heavily variegated forms benefit from the higher end of this range.
- Feeding
- Balanced liquid fertiliser at half strength every 3-4 weeks during the growing season.
- Repotting
- Every 12-18 months, or when roots fill the pot.
Common problems
Reversion to solid green
Cause: Insufficient light
Fix: Increase light levels and prune reverted growth to favour variegated tissue
Cutting fails to establish
Cause: Cutting taken from a section with too little chlorophyll-bearing tissue
Fix: Select cuttings with a healthy balance of green and white leaf tissue
Gear for this plant
- Coir Moss Pole, 120cm (4-Pack)Coco coir totem for climbing aroids to root into as they grow upward.
- Natural Rooting Powder, 3 x 75gRooting hormone powder for stem and leaf cuttings.
- Precision Bonsai Pruning Scissors, 200mmFine-bladed snips for clean node cuts when taking a cutting.
- Digital Hygrometer & ThermometerLCD humidity and temperature gauge for checking a grow spot against a plant's target range.
How to propagate Philodendron imbe
- Methods
- Stem cutting, Node cutting. Step-by-step guide
- Difficulty
- Moderate. Rewards a consistent watering and light routine, but tolerates the occasional lapse. Suited to growers with some houseplant experience.
- Time to establish
- 8-12 weeks
- True from cuttings
- Yes. Cuttings keep the cultivar's character.
- Notes
- Roots from stem or node cuttings. The heavily variegated 'Ilsemannii'/'Jose Buono' forms need a cutting taken at a node with enough chlorophyll-bearing tissue to survive; pure-white cuttings frequently fail to establish.