Philodendron Information – What Is A Congo Rojo Philodendron

Congo Rojo Philodendron Plant
rojo philodendron
(Image credit: Chansom Pantip)

The philodendron Congo Rojo is an attractive warm weather plant that produces showy flowers and interesting leaves. It gets the name “rojo” from its new leaves, which unfurl in a deep, shiny red. As the leaves mature, they fade to a burgundy-green color. Keep reading to learn more about growing a philodendron Congo Rojo and Congo Rojo philodendron care.

Philodendron Information

What is a Congo Rojo philodendron? Native to South America, the Congo Rojo is different from many other philodendrons in that it doesn’t have a climbing or vining habit. Growing instead in a “self-heading” manner, it grows both outward and upward, peaking at about 2 feet (61 cm.) in height and 2 ½ feet (76 cm.) in width. Its flowers are very fragrant and come in shades of red, green, and white.

Caring for Philodendron Congo Rojo

Caring for a philodendron Congo Rojo is very easy, as long as you keep it warm. The plant is very cold sensitive and will suffer serious damage below 40 degrees F. (4 C.). While it can tolerate short periods of extreme heat, it will also have trouble if exposed to temperatures over 100 degrees F. (38 C.) for too long. It's ideal temperatures are between 76 and 86 degrees F. (24-30 C.) during the day and between 65 and 72 degrees F. (18-22 C.) at night. These tend to correspond to most household temperatures and, as such, growing a philodendron Congo Rojo as a houseplant is very common.

Two or three plants in a 10 inch (25 cm.) container make for a full, attractive display. It needs at least partial shade to prevent scorching by the sun, and it will tolerate full shade.

It prefers acidic to neutral soil that drains very easily. The plant is a very heavy feeder and does well with two or three applications per year of slow-release fertilizer.

Liz Baessler
Senior Editor

The only child of a horticulturist and an English teacher, Liz Baessler was destined to become a gardening editor. She has been with Gardening Know how since 2015, and a Senior Editor since 2020. She holds a BA in English from Brandeis University and an MA in English from the University of Geneva, Switzerland. After years of gardening in containers and community garden plots, she finally has a backyard of her own, which she is systematically filling with vegetables and flowers.