PLANT PRIMER

Now that our windows and doors are closed for the winter, one way to improve fresh air in our homes is the addition of houseplants.

Philodendron Brasil (Philodendron hederaceum ‘Brasil’) is a vine with 2- to 4-inch heart-shaped leaves. Each leaf is variegated differently, with lime green and dusty green on a dark-green background. New leaves have a pink or burgundy cast but will mature to shades of green.

The stems also have a pretty pink cast to them. This lowmaintenance plant thrives in bright, indirect light with regular waterings (touch the soil and if it’s dry, water it).

Philodendron Brasil looks great in a container sitting on a table or bookshelf — as long as it has enough light. Without it, the leaves will lose some of the variegation.

See Philodendron Brasil in the Greenscapes Live Wall, at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

— Barbara Arnold

Franklin Park Conservatory