Silvery green, arrow-shaped leaves on stems that will climb a trellis and reach up to 15 feet indoors, the philodendron silver sword plant is an ideal indoor house plant to place in virtually any large spot you have in your home or office.
You can decorate with and around it in a variety of ways, and you don’t have to worry about a ton of care and maintenance. This one is hardy and reliable.
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A Silver Sword Plant Is Good for Homes and Offices
Native to the tropical forests of South America, the philodendron hastatum is a beautiful piece of greenery that you can keep virtually anywhere in or around your home.
If you have a hardiness zone between 9 and 11, you might want to keep this giant outside and watch it thrive under larger tree cover, but if you live in a colder climate, you can tend to this sweet foliage indoors all year round.
The only important thing to note about this plant, like other philodendrons, is that it is toxic to pets and humans if ingested, so be sure your animals and little ones don’t take bites from these large, lovely leaves. Otherwise, you’re good to go with just a few tips and tricks for basic care and feeding.
Are Silver Sword Plants Good for the Feng Shui Flow of a Room?
Nevermind how easy they are, nor how beautiful, the silver sword plant brings amazingly positive energy into your home! You really do reap all of the benefits of having this plant around.
With its silvery shades and arrow shape, this philodendron represents fire energy in feng shui, bringing you wealth and good fortune.
According to the principles of feng shui, you should keep this house plant in a nice, bright, eastern corner of your home or office, particularly in a room where you want to welcome financial prosperity. For more information on the basic tenets of feng shui, check out this master class article on how to use feng shui.
Are Silver Sword Plants Easy to Grow and Maintain?
The silver sword plant is remarkably easy to grow and maintain. It just takes a bit of water, sun, and the occasional splash of fertilizer.
How Do Silver Sword Plants Grow?
The silver sword plant grows large, and it does so fairly rapidly, so it would serve you well to repot this plant every couple of years to allow it to continue to grow.
What Kind of Soil Does a Silver Sword Plant Need?
To keep this plant growing well, pot the silver sword in airy soil that will hold a bit of moisture but also drain well. You can invest in soil mix designed specifically for this kind of plant, an aroid, or you can mix your own.
Simply combine indoor houseplant soil with perlite and a bit of orchid bark mix to keep air and water flowing through.
How Much Light Does a Silver Sword Plant Need?
As a tropical climbing plant, the silver sword is used to growing beneath much larger trees with much larger leaves, so it receives plenty of bright, indirect, filtered light. In your home or office, that means you should place it near a bright sunny window, making sure it does not sit in direct, harsh sunlight and burn.
How Much Water Does a Silver Sword Plant Need?
The philodendron hastatum is a thirsty plant, so you want to keep the soil moist but not soaked. Check the soil regularly, and if the top 1 inch of the soil is dry, you can water the plant again. If it is still moist, you can leave it.
If you are interested in learning more about plant watering, check out my other article for signs, tips, and tricks to avoiding these watering mistakes.
Other Conditions that Are Important to a Silver Sword Plant
It is also important to note that the silver sword needs regular fertilization during the spring and summer months. You can use a diluted houseplant fertiilzer and apply it once a week when you water. During the fall and winter, you can leave off fertilizing as the plant goes mostly dormant.
Also, be sure to watch for common plant pests like mealybugs, fungus gnats, scale, and thrips that may try to invade your plant, especially if the soil and roots get soggy. If you do notice bugs, just spray the leaves and soil with neem oil and wipe them clean, so you can rid them of eggs. If necessary, you can bring the plant outside and spray it down to get rid of all the bugs.
Finally, watch the humidity in your home and near your plant. Remember we’re dealing with a tropical plant, so you want to ensure the plant is not subject to extreme dryness or low temperatures.
Silver Sword Plant Decorating Ideas
This plant deserves to be front and center, taking up a ton of space. You can place it in a large, bright corner, or give it a spot under a big window. Surround it with other large plants or a ton of little plants on stands and create an entire indoor garden.
In terms of pots, you can place the silver sword in a brightly colored pot to offset the greens and silvers of the foliage.
Do Fake Silver Sword Plants Look Real?
If, in the end, you’re worried about keeping this plant alive, for any reason, you can always invest in a nice artificial version. The nice thing is that you can find high-quality fake plants that look just like the real thing, and the silver sword is no exception.
If you’re worried that a fake silver sword plant might be off trend, check out my piece on whether artificial plants and flowers are tacky.
Whatever you decide, fake or real, you cannot go wrong having a silver sword plant in your home or office. You’ll be so happy you have one.
How about you? Do you have a silver sword plant? What has been your experience? Let me know in the comments. I love to hear from my readers.
