How to tell Philodendron 'Golden Diamond' and Philodendron 'Green Emerald' apart and grow them well? Care methods for the aristocrats of potted plants
Both the Green Emerald plant and Golden Diamond belong to the taro family and are evergreen foliage plants, and what's more, the two look very much alike, so much so that without a careful look it really is a bit hard to tell them apart; even if the two are so similar, we still have ways to distinguish them. Their names alone sound grand, the aristocrats of potted plants: how to tell Golden Diamond and Green Emerald apart and grow them well!
The Green Emerald is also known as the "can still be bean tree"; its stem is fairly thick and sturdy, with aerial roots at the nodes. Its leaves are shaped much like a heart, and the leaf color is a glossy, oil-green with a fine sheen. The plant has a strong climbing ability, its form is neat and substantial, and it carries a touch of tropical style. It can be grown as a medium to large green plant in halls, offices and similar places.
Because the plant has a strong climbing ability, in daily life you can set up bamboo or similar things in the middle of the pot as a support for the plant to grow on; the plant will grow and spread around it, and this also keeps the plant's shape looking good.
As a tropical green plant, it naturally prefers a humid environment, so during the Green Emerald's growth you must ensure its daily water needs. Besides keeping the potting soil moist, you also need to spray some water on the leaves to keep the plant growing in a highly humid environment.
Every year when spring comes, it is the Green Emerald's repotting period. During the spring repotting period you can replace the potting soil as well, and you can also divide the plant into several small clumps for division propagation.
Golden Diamond's leaves are relatively narrow and long, a slender oval, and the leaf sheen is a deeper green than the Green Emerald's. Its branches are thick and upright, and the leaves grow evenly, giving it the air of a tropical rainforest.
Golden Diamond does not demand much from its potting soil, as long as it is fertile enough. So when caring for it, do a good job of topdressing: apply fertilizer and then water immediately after, letting the fertilizer fully soak into the soil, to ensure the plant's normal growth.
It is likewise a tropical green plant, so in terms of water needs there is no great difference from the Green Emerald; but if Golden Diamond is cared for improperly, it is relatively prone to disease. When disease is discovered, take preventive measures promptly and try to reduce the disease to the weakest possible level.
Although Golden Diamond does not demand much from the ambient temperature, it still cannot stay in the light for long periods, especially in strong light. If the temperature of the surface it is placed on is too high, you should use some wooden boards or first cool it with water before setting the plant on it; otherwise the heat radiating from the surface will scorch the roots at the bottom of the pot, causing the plant to show signs of yellow leaves.
Through the above comparison, can you see the differences between these two green plants, and do you have a newer understanding of them? Do you still have any questions about the details of the care process?