How to Prune a Large Split Leaf Philodendron

Hi Marta,

Your plant is a split leaf philodendron; these plants tend to take up a great deal of room as they mature and need constant pruning to keep them manageable. If you move it to a larger pot it will just keep growing and taking up even more room, so I don’t think that’s a very good option. You can carefully separate the root ball into two sections. Plant each section in a pot a few inches larger than the root ball.

These plants like to be pruned aggressively. You can cut off some stems from the existing plant and use them to start new plants. Use a sharp, clean scissors or razor blade to cut off some healthy stem just below a leaf node. A node is where a leaf joins the stem. Remove leaves from the bottom 1/3 of the stems. Dip the cut end of the stems into a small amount of rooting hormone that contains a fungicide. Plant the stem in a 6″pot (drip holes in the bottom) of moist potting soil. The original plant will look and grow better once pruned.

You can read all my care tips for a Split Leaf Philodendron in the Popular Houseplant section of the website.

https://www.houseplant411.com/houseplant/split-leaf-philodendron-how-to-grow-care-monstera-delicious

These plants are poisonous and should be kept away from pets and children. Always wear gloves when pruning and wash your hands and tools well when finished. Read more about common houseplants that are poisonous in Don’t Feed Me To Your Cat! A Guide to Poisonous Houseplants.